Oli sets deadline till Monday for Nepal faction to withdraw signatures

NL Today

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Kathmandu: Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has set a deadline till Monday for the Madhav Kumar Nepal faction to withdraw signatures made supporting Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba as a Prime Minister.

Speaking at a Central Committee meeting of the party held at Baluwatar on Friday, Oli warned that the party will not remain intact if signatures are not withdrawn with the deadline. A total of 23 lawmakers representing the Nepal faction had supported Deuba as he had staked a claim as a Prime Minister.

“The party will not remain united if signatures are not withdrawn. UML lawmakers are not permitted to make the Congress leader a Prime Minister. This is not acceptable at all. Ignoring this is an announcement of the party split,” Oli said.

Oli initially said the signature should be withdrawn within two days. However, Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam, who was present at the meeting, argued that the deadline will not be sufficient. At Bamdev’s request, Oli is now ready to wait till 5 pm on Monday.

The meeting has been postponed till 3 pm tomorrow.

The Madhav Kumar Nepal faction of the party had boycotted the 13th Central Committee meeting after the party’s ninth general convention held today. A meeting of the Standing Committee members of the Nepal faction held in Baneshwor on Thursday had decided not to participate in the meeting.

The 10th National General Convention Organizing Committee meeting of the ruling party held on Wednesday had dissolved the committee to revive the erstwhile Central Committee. The decision was made to address the demand from the dissenting faction of the party.

The Oli faction has been claiming that the Central Committee has been taken back to the status of May 16, 2018. But the Nepal faction has refused to accept it arguing that leaders defecting CPN (Maoist Center) have also been included in the Central Committee.