Kathmandu, Oct. 16 -- Amid rising internal dissent and pressure to step down following last month's Gen Z protests, UML chair KP Sharma ...
Kathmandu, Oct. 16 -- Amid rising internal dissent and pressure to step down following last month's Gen Z protests, UML chair KP Sharma Oli presented a 15-point report at the party's Central Committee meeting on Wednesday, questioning both the Gen Z movement and the legitimacy of the interim government led by Sushila Karki formed in the strength of the movement.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the party's ongoing Central Committee meeting, Oli also defended his deposed government and criticised the formation of the interim government outside constitutional bounds.
Following the Gen Z movement, the country's two major political parties, the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre), have indicated a willingness to make certain changes in their working style. However, the UML, which led the government before the movement, has claimed the protests were a conspiracy against the party.
Presenting his political document at the party's Central Committee meeting, which began on Wednesday and will last until Friday, Oli questioned the merit of the movement and the legitimacy of the interim government led by Sushila Karki that was formed through the strength of that movement.
"As the caretaker prime minister, I had made recommendations for a constitutional way out," reads Oli's document. "However, contrary to that advice, a government was formed outside the framework of the constitution. Therefore, this government is unconstitutional."
Oli also proposed holding the party's 11th General Convention in Pokhara on November 13-15, signalling a bid to consolidate his leadership amid growing challenges.
Oli has been facing mounting pressure within the party to step down following the Gen Z movement. One of the key demands raised by the Gen Z movement was that senior leaders should step aside from leadership positions.
Addressing the same issue, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba appointed Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka as Acting President during the party's Central Committee meeting on Tuesday.
Similarly, CPN (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who has announced a special party convention for November, dissolved the existing party structure and limited himself to the role of coordinator of the convention mobilisation committee. Oli, however, has stated that he will decide whether or not to relinquish his leadership not based on "what is said on Facebook," but in accordance with the party committee's or the general convention's decision.
In Wednesday's Central Committee meeting, the party chair appeared weakened compared to the committee meeting held in July, according to one party leader.
"There are indeed central committee members who speak in his defence, but the kind of undisputed authority he once held is no longer evident in this meeting," the leader told the Post on the condition of anonymity. "But his weakness is not to the extent that he could be ousted from the party leadership."
On September 8, young Nepalis took to the streets across the country to protest against the Oli-led government, accusing it of widespread corruption, nepotism, and excessive control over social media.
The movement intensified after clashes on the same day led to the deaths of 17 protesters in Kathmandu and 2 in Itahari, sparking a nationwide uprising on September 9.
In his political document, Oli has claimed that he did not order the shooting during the Gen Z movement. The movement, which unfolded on September 8 and 9, saw Oli resign from the post of prime minister on September 9 as the violence escalated.
Oli's report also reads that more than 1,200 weapons and nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition seized during the Gen Z protest are still unaccounted for. The report further says that over 5,000 escaped prisoners remain at large and are once again engaged in various criminal activities, creating an atmosphere of fear and terror in society.
"The morale of the police has been shattered due to the loss of their fallen and injured colleagues, looted weapons, and destroyed infrastructure," reads the document. "Incidents of brutal killings and attacks are on the rise. The government has failed to maintain law and order."
The report also claimed that while individuals close to the government continue to incite acts of terror, the government's silence on the matter raises serious concerns.
The report also reads that the interim government has not made any progress towards holding the elections scheduled for March 5. Even more than a month after its formation, the government has yet to invite political parties for discussions related to the elections.
Although President Ramchandra Paudel recently convened an all-party meeting with the upcoming elections on the agenda, the interim government has not even initiated any such dialogue.
Similarly, some Gen Z representatives have publicly declared that old political parties and their leaders will not be allowed to participate in the elections. For this reason as well, the government formed through the strength of the Gen Z movement has been slow to bring the political parties on board.
On the opening day of the Central Committee meeting, most of the party's central members supported Oli. Former Defence Minister Hari Upreti described the Gen Z movement as an attack on both the UML and party chair Oli himself.
Similarly, central members who spoke on Wednesday, including Surya Kumari Shrestha, Surya Dhakal, Sushil Srivastav, Subas Karmacharya, and Sunita Baral, asked to review the events of the Gen Z protest and said that the party should convey a message of unity.
Moreover, another central member Hari Bahadur Rai said that the party should decide to go for elections instead of demanding the reinstatement of Parliament.
Rai emphasised the need for a serious discussion on the recent developments. He said that in the country's internal affairs, external forces are secondary while internal dynamics are paramount.
"We should conduct a review to determine whether any mistakes were made in the course of governing by our party," Rai suggested.
Similarly, central committee members Sita Neupane, Srijana Kafle, Sabitra Aryal, Sahadev Bogati, Sabita Yadav, and others said that the UML's credibility among the public has declined.
Meanwhile, some central members stated that the party's demand for the reinstatement of the House of Representatives was appropriate. There were also a few members who argued that holding the party's general convention under the current circumstances would not be appropriate.
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