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| Kathmandu, Wednesday February 05, 2003 Magh 22, 2059. |
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Nepal likely to be re-elected
party general secretary
By Ghanashyam Ojha & Gopal Khanal
JANAKPUR, Feb 4 : Leader of Communist Party of
Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Madhav Kumar Nepal, is likely to be re-elected party
general secretary for a fresh five-year term.
This became obvious as KP Sharma Oli, the only
other person contending for the post, conceded that he was in minority in the party
congress. Oli withdrew his amendment paper, suggesting for re-introduction of the
presidential system in the party, apparently after he became certain about his defeat. He
said he was withdrawing the suggestions in the interest of greater unity of the party.
But observers feel it was a test case for
Oli’s ambition to the top post. Formal election to the general secretary and the
central working committee will be held tomorrow.
During today’s close-session of the party
congress, the party unanimously endorsed the party statute amendment paper presented by
Amrit Kumar Bohara, a close ally of Nepal. The paper presented by Bohara states that the
party should go for general secretarial system.
Earlier, KP Sharma Oli, a powerful leader in
UML, withdrew his dissent party statute amendment paper. Oli, talking to journalists, said
he decided to withdraw his dissent paper just for a unity in the party. "I withdrew
my dissent paper without any condition," Oli said. "I am ready to sacrifice
anything for the betterment of the party."
Highlighting that the party was still suffering
from traditional ideology, Oli told the party delegates that he could not be successful to
break the mindset. "I take it as my weakness that I failed in breaking the
traditional mindset of the party cadres."
Oli also told the delegates that he was ready to
back-track nine steps for the party unity. "I ask whether general secretary Nepal is
ready to do so for the party," Oli asked Nepal, in front of the huge mass of the
party cadres and the delegates.
Oli said he would again present his dissent
party statute amendment paper in the next general convention.
CPN-UML has already decided to be open for any
possible alternatives including constituent assembly to give an easy way out to the
impending crisis dogging the nation.
Another party leader Pradip Nepal said the party
decided to empower the National Council. Highlighting the divided opinions pouring in from
the party delegates, he said that the party would preserve the dissent proposal of Oli as
the party’s asset.
He also made it clear that the middle line of
the party was prominent in this congress. Nepal also had been maintaining the middle line
in the party.
While agreeing upon the need to empower the
National Council, the convention also decided that the central committee would be taking
up the suggestions given by the council.
Ishwor Pokharel, an influential leader in the
party, said the central committee would include the recommendations given by the council
in its annual plans.
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