# PREM SAGAR POUDEL
A meeting of the UML-Nepal-Khanal held on March18 decided to form a nationwide parallel committee. The meeting was resumed on Wednesday by boycotting the meeting of the parliamentary party convened by the Prime Minister and party chairman KP Oli.
The Nepal-Khanal faction had split from the Dahal-Nepal-Khanal faction after the Supreme Court’s decision on March 7 to restore the party to its old status. The group also held a farewell meeting with the Maoists in Parisdada with a decision to return to the UML.
Two issues were discussed at the farewell meeting. First, the Nepal-Khanal faction will try to control the UML, second, to revolt when the party cannot be controlled. CPN (Maoist-Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal made this clear while addressing a gathering of party cadres in Butwal.
Speaking to the party workers on March 12, he said, “Either the Madhav Nepal faction will soon capture the UML and remove KP Oli.” If not, the Madhav Nepal faction will revolt. If Madhav Nepal revolt from UML, we will form an agitating force together.’
Chairman Dahal again clarified the same issue with the cadres gathered at the house of leader Haribol Gajurel in Sindhuli on the morning of March 18. “We were able to aside Oli,” he said. Madhav Nepal has been embarrassed by the court’s decision. Madhav Nepal, the leader who has spoken louder than me against Oli is in the favor of unity.
UML Chairman Oli had found out about the secret agreement between Dahal-Nepal-Khanal. Surya Thapa, Oli’s press adviser, wrote on 09 March, “The faces of the criminals who announced the expulsion of Prime Minister and party chairman KP Sharma Oli from the party four times are vividly remembered.” We should not forget their immoral act of using force from the birth to blockade the government of the two-thirds mandate.
Replying to Thapa’s tweet, Nepal-Khanal group’s Dr. Bijay Poudel wrote, ‘Oh Surya Thapaji! Communists will not unite in my life. Don’t realize own mistake. There is no need to hold a party meeting to solve the problem. Disagreement is to be dispelled. There is nothing wrong with me and KP Oli, we are great human beings.’ Write it.
In response, Thapa wrote, ‘Dr. Bijay Poudelji, are these your words of caution? You can read back your own tweets from 2077 Baishakh and introspect, ‘Thapa wrote,’ Do you remember how many drums of oil you spilled in Prachanda’s service? Where are the analyses of his active allies in the party capture campaign? Do you remember?’
Prime Minister Oli’s foreign adviser Rajan Bhattarai said in a public program, “They have come to the UML only to reach 40 percent.” Oli’s challenge was to manage the former Maoist leaders who were with him, rather than where Nepal-Khanal would take the UML. While attending the Nepal-Khanal in the party meeting, he was not able to manage the leaders including Ram Bahadur Thapa who supported the government in the difficult situation.
Dahal would have won if the leaders who had returned from Parisdada embracing President Dahal, had left out the leaders including Ram Bahadur Thapa. In this case, Dahal would have been able to play even in the UML. Oli changed the party structure on 12 March. This seems to have been interpreted by the Nepal-Khanal faction as Oli’s biggest mistake.
Polarization again in MCC:
Not wanting to discuss the ordinance brought by the government in the House of Representatives meeting on Sunday, February 7, former Prime Minister Madhav Nepal left the Parliament House along with another former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. After the Supreme Court handed over the ownership of the NCP to Rishi Kattel, many thought that Nepal and Dahal would move forward in a new direction. Many speculated that they might be planning for the next step after leaving parliament.
In the meeting of the House of Representatives, Dr. Bhim Rawal, the leader of the Dahal-Nepal group, asked, “Which is the Prime Minister’s party?” On Sunday, Prime Minister KP Oli answered Rawal’s question at a public event. “Go to the Supreme Court and ask which my party is.” Shortly after Prime Minister Oli gave such an answer, a meeting of the Dahal-Nepal Standing Committee was being held. Former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, who left the meeting, said, “We will now return to the UML.”
On Sunday, Dr. Rawal asked the question “Which is the Prime Minister’s party?”, On Monday evening, Dr. Rawal decided to return to the party chaired by Prime Minister Oli, the CPN-UML. Rawal, who was ousted by Prime Minister Oli due to his involvement in the Nepal group, will be chased away to the Far Western again. Rawal, who has not been able to improve relations with Oli, will face another blow due to Lekhraj Bhatt, who left the CPN (Maoist-Centre) and joined the UML. Due to the decision to dissolve the House of Representatives, Bhatt is more trusted by Prime Minister Oli than Dr. Rawal.
Dr. Rawal elected vice president from the ninth general convention of the UML in Kathmandu, is against MCC. His argument against the MCC is to push the nationalist image that Prime Minister Oli is trying to create. On the other hand, he was thinking of taking important responsibility of the government by embarrassing Prime Minister Oli. The most important thing is to show America. Dr. Rawal is a former United Nations staffer; the United States does not treat him like a leader. No matter how high the level of UN staff is, the US treats them as staff. Rawal needed respect as a leader.
A bullet could hit everywhere and Rawal used that method.
He made a hot issue by protesting MCC. The important question is why he remained silent when the former government had agreed on MCC. MCC could also be made an election issue. The MCC was the first coalition of those who wanted to embarrass Prime Minister Oli. For those who is against the West, especially the United States, this alliance is an easy option. From former Prime Minister Dahal, Nepal and Khanal stood together to embarrass Oli and to revenge against the United States. Khanal sat in the MCC task force formed by the NCP (NCP) and blew out honor of the MCC.
Everyone has own Problems:
The Nepal-Khanal faction, which bid farewell to the Dahals and moved towards Oli after the recent court verdict, is most dependent on the Standing Committee. Nepal-Khanal has a majority in the CPN-UML’s standing committee. The management of this minority group at all other levels of the party is not easy because of the connections. Nepal-Khanal faction had said that they were strong in the then UML Standing Committee and Politburo and not weak in the Central Committee. ‘They challenged to call the meeting, and ready to face’.
Nepal-Khanal faction’s two-days gathering of cadres at the Heritage Banquet at Sanepa in Lalitpur on March 18 has decided to launch a ‘Bhandafor Abhiyan’ against party Chairman KP Oli. ‘The character of our core activity will be the internal-conflict,’ Towards the end of the meeting, Deputy Secretary General Ghanshyam Bhusal explained to the cadres about the future course of action, “That is the ideological line of action of the Ninth General Convention. We have to establish its rules and regulations.” That means returning to the state before May 16, 2018.
After the court’s decision, the Nepal-Khanal group, which returned to the CPN-UML with Prime Minister Oli as the party’s chairman, is now being criticized by former colleagues who worked with them. Thapa, who is now Oli’s press adviser, was infiltrated by the Nepal group at the UML’s Balkhu Darwar. Thapa was separated after Nepal considered Vishnu Rijal, who had infiltrated Balkhu by Thapa, to be close. Thapa, who was left behind due to his weak capacity, was made the press advisor by Jhala Nath Khanal when he was the prime minister. Bhattarai was the Foreign Affairs adviser when Nepal was the prime minister.
Bhattarai, who has a PhD from India’s JNU, came close to Oli during the UML’s ninth general convention. At that time, leaders like Vishnu Poudel, Ishwar Pokhrel and Subash Nemwang had entered Oli Camp from Nepal Camp. Thapa was admitted to Oli Camp by Gokul Baskota. While Baskota was the communications minister, Thapa left with Nepal-Khanal camp on the condition of dismissing Kundan Aryal and appointing him as the prime minister’s press adviser. Aryal, who teaches journalism at Tribhuvan University, had led the work of giving birth ‘Wednesday’ by splitting ‘Drishti Weekly’, which is supported by Oli.
Many in the party called Aryal nephew as he is the nephew of INSEC chairperson Sindhunath Pyakurel. Nepal had even given a place to the office of ‘Wednesday’ at Balkhu Darwar, which has an office in Bagbazar. The product of the ‘Wednesday’, Thapa and Rijal, are now working to keep Oli and Nepal away. In support of Oli, INSEC had also produced district level cadres with a district representative. For this, the West had assisted in the name of publishing the Human Rights Year Book.
Khanal and Oli were candidates for the post of UML Chairman at the eighth general convention in Butwal. At the time, Oli was a fierce critic of the Maoists. The cadres, on the other hand, are soft on the Maoists. Khanal also took advantage of this. Due to which, the influence of the Maoists was gradually spreading within the UML. Not only Khanal became the prime minister with the support of the Maoists, but the Maoists also staged a 17-day long capture of Singha Durbar to remove Nepal from the post of prime minister.
Nepal, which was Oli’s ally in the Eighth General Convention, stood against Oli in the Ninth General Convention. At a time when the Khanal faction was almost in a state of destroy, Nepal even took support of Khanal’s companions. Leaders like Vishnu Poudel and Ishwar Pokharel in Oli’s group had erected fences to prevent others from entering. In 2053 BS, Bhanubhakta tried to stop Yogesh Bhattarai, who had worked with him in the Central Committee of ANNFSU, to move forward by using Oli’s force.
Nepal, which had distanced himself from Oli after the Eighth General Convention, is now in a dilemma as to whether to do cooperation with Oli or not. Behind this, there are more hands of the ‘Uprising Kings’ than Oli who are around Nepal in the past and are now in favor of Oli. They want to keep Nepal away from Oli by irritating him at any cost. By doing so, they can get maximum benefit by selling the name of the party and the government. Therefore, the center in this dispute is everyone’s own problem. It is because of these interests that one has been forbidding the other.
The influence of the church:
During the Maoist war, Dahal’s greatest ambition was to collect power. Many seem to be abandoning Dahal because of his politics with keeping money and power at the center. Many around Dahal now have the same interest, “to go into government anyway and earn as much as possible.” They have started taking those who obstruct such interests as common enemies.
In the first phase, UML leader Khanal, as the chairman, worked to increase the Maoist influence within the UML. While Nepal was the Prime Minister, Khanal watched the Maoists’ campaign to remove the Prime Minister for 17 days. He did not focus on solving the problem. One reason for this was Chairman Khanal’s aspiration to become prime minister. The CPN (Maoist) chairman had tried to remove Nepal and make Khanal the prime minister. Instead of drafting a constitution from the Constituent Assembly, the Maoists focused on power.
Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, who persuaded King Gyanendra to leave the palace, was used by the Maoists. In recent times, CPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal has used Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba for winning the post of Mayor of Bharatpur Sub-Metropolis to his daughter. As a result, the Congress is not able to trust the Maoists on the issue of power partners.
Dahal’s interest was in the unity of the UML and the Maoist center, to become the chairman of the largest Communist Party. Oli had come as a new charioteer to fulfill such ambitions developed in the last days of the People’s War. After the unification of the party, Dahal spent a few months understanding the relationship between Khanal, Nepal and Oli. Another UML leader Bamdev Gautam helped him in this task.
Dahal developed a relationship between Nepal and Khanal complaining that Oli had suppressed us. Then he showed Nepal the new lollipop of the Prime Minister. He promised to make Khanal president due to his age. Oli was waiting for that day when he got information from a high-ranking Indian source that he would not return from the hospital with second kidney transplant.
But, Oli returned from the hospital. He started working in less time than they thought. Dahal-Nepal and Khanal came together against Oli after he started running to work with the enthusiasm as a youth. Indians who reported that Oli would not return from the hospital also began to support the group. The last time the court ruled to reinstate the House of Representatives, the reaction of Indians was made public. Until then, even Dahal and Nepal, who were in Bharatpur of Chitwan, could not celebrate by having Laddu.
Many Maoist leaders work for the United States. But because of Dahal, Americans don’t look them with due respect because of Dahal. Speaker Agni Sapkota and former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara have been accused by the West of leaning more towards China. Mahara works at the behest of Christians in Nepal more than in China. UML leader Nemwang is also in this quota. They were active even in the declaration of secular Nepal, with the strong support of Dahal.
The Oli faction has not been able to welcome the Nepal-Khanal faction that returned to the UML after the court decision. One of the reasons behind this is that many leaders in the Nepal-Khanal group do not have good relations with those in the Oli group. Karna Thapa, who was put forward by Oli to compete with Dr. Bhim Rawal, is the husband of Information Commission Commissioner Kamala Oli Thapa. Thapa got married for the second time to Kamala, a niece of Prime Minister Oli. Shortly before King Gyanendra took power, Thapa, who was married to Oli, started a children’s magazine to cover his expenses. Now they live in a luxurious bungalow in Baneshwor.
The psychology of many leaders within the UML seems to make money anyway. They have surrounded Prime Minister Oli. Due to which Oli cannot have contact with others. Even one get success to make relation, they will destroy easily. Vishnu Rimal, who has taken the responsibility of forming a team and running the secretariat well, seems to be working to discredit Prime Minister Oli. The government has been embroiled in controversy over corruption as it is surrounded by supporters who have no chance of making a living if Oli leaves power.
Nepal, the leader of the Nepal-Khanal group, is notorious for the involvement with Universal Peace Federation. He has already traveled to 43 countries after drinking Holy Wine following the alleged Father Moon. Nepal has also succeeded in feeding Prime Minister Oli the wine of Father Moon. Leaders who have worked with Nepal and Khanal seem to have less controversy than those who have worked with Oli. Ram Kumari Jhakri’s relationship with President Bidyadevi Bhandari, who is in the Nepal-Khanal group, has deteriorated since she became the chairperson of Akhil. That dissatisfaction still remains. Oli had captured first women’s union in the UML. With Bhandari as president, the women’s association was made Oli’s campaign arena. Due to which Bhandari’s relationship with Ashtalakshmi Shakyas was not good. It was this relationship that prevented Shakya from becoming the Chief Minister of Bagmati. Unable to stay with Bhandari, Urmila Aryal left the UML and joined the Maoists.
Bhandari had tried to use Akhil in favor of Oli through Jhankri. After learning that Bhandari had interfered in her organization, her sister’s relationship turned into a dispute. On the other hand, through Mahesh Basnet, Oli took control of the youth association. Vishnu Rimal turned GEFONT into Oli’s favor. Oli easily succeeded in becoming the party president only after controlling one mass organization after another. With women, workers and youth organizations under his control, it became easier for Oli to fight against Nepal. The Maoists made easier than that after their arrival in peace process.
UML became the third party in the first Constituent Assembly election. After the Maoists became the first party, a question of morality was raised over General Secretary Nepal. The youths raised the loudest voice that the current crisis is due to Nepal’s failure as the Secretary General. As a result, Nepal resigned from the post of Secretary General. This was Oli’s first success behind the scenes. Nepal’s resignation made it easier for Oli, who had been sidelined since 2059 BS, to return to the party’s mainstream. After Nepal’s resignation, the leaders began to strengthen relations with Oli.
The foundation of the relationship:
After the transformation of 2007 BS, India’s support was needed to stay in power in Nepal. But, Oli broke the foundation of this relationship. In recent times, Dahal has made a public statement that the government to be formed by his party, the Congress and the JSP will be the most comfortable for India. However, this equation has not been formed yet. This means that power will not change in Nepal if only India wants.
Fearing that the CPN (Maoist) would withdraw its support to the UML, which split after the court’s decision, Oli has pushed for power-sharing talks with JSP, which is said to be close to India. JSP has taken the talks held in Baluwatar on Thursday positively. Earlier, JSP had left the government due to Oli. The JSP, which has been distrusting Oli, is now looking for a way forward by agreeing with him on issues including amending the constitution.
Earlier, Oli had been reluctant to move forward as the amendment of the constitution was demanded by Indians. Oli’s flexibility in this regard now indicates the development of good relations with Indians. Oli’s visit to India after receiving a vote of confidence as Prime Minister will further confirm this. Oli has created an environment of becoming public even to Netra Bikram Chand, who has been fiercely opposed to India and Dahal. Oli seems to be thinking that using Chand can win the support of Maoist fighters. For this, Oli will gradually cooperate with all parties that do not have good relations with Dahal. Earlier, Oli had called former Maoist combatants to Baluwatar and started discussions.
