Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has decided to bring an ordinance making it easier for him to split ruling CPN if needed suspecting that he may be removed.
The Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar Monday has taken a decision to pass an ordinance allowing splitting of a party with support of 40 percent in either the parliamentary party or the central committee, according to a minister. The act about political parties requires support of 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and the central committee to split any political party.
A source close to Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli confirmed that all the ministers apart from three silently supported the proposal made by PM Oli.
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Agriculture Minister Ghanashyam Bhusal and Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun opined that it would not be appropriate to take such a serious decision in the current situation.
A Baluwatar source confided that President Bidya Devi Bhandari is likely to issue the ordinance Monday itself.
Differences between the two chairmen of ruling CPN have been exacerbating in recent times. There have been rumors that preparations are on to replace PM Oli with senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, and handing over the party responsibilities to executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
The differences between Chairman Oli and the faction of Dahal and Nepal intensified on the issue of speaker election and taking Bam Dev Gautam to the National Assembly.
The faction of Dahal and Nepal has clear majority in the secretariat, standing committee, central committee and parliamentary party. Oli will have support of over 40 percent only in the parliamentary party.
Clause 33(2) of the act about political parties requires support of 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and the central committee to split any political party or join another party.
The Baluwatar source added that the ordinance has been brought to pave the way for Oli to split ruling CPN with support of 40 percent in the parliamentary party if Dahal and Nepal decide to remove him.
"They have passed this ordinance with the strategy of not leaving power if efforts are made to remove him, and splitting the party and registering a new one instead," a leader close to Nepal told Setopati. "This is an exercise to remain in power even if one is in minority and revive the erstwhile CPN-UML under him."
Another leader commented that PM Oli has brought this ordinance to send a message about the length to which he can go if the party were to decide against him.
Whether this step by Oli will aggravate the current dispute or placate it for a while has yet to be known.
A leader close to Oli said the politics will develop in accordance to the step that the Dahal-Nepal faction will take when asked what will happen next.
The Dahal-Nepal can call parliamentary party meeting and remove Oli as its leader if it has majority or can remove Oli by calling a special House session and registering no-confidence motion. Oli can remain in power only with support of the opposition parties if a no-confidence motion were registered.
The ordinance brought by the government will have to be passed by the House with majority within 60 days of House session, according to Article 114 of the Constitution.
