CPN leaders have started to call for standing committee meeting after Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli brought two ordinances.
Standing committee members from the erstwhile CPN (Maoist Center) and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal have called for a meeting stating that Oli brought the unnecessary ordinances without holding discussion within the party.
Standing committee member Beduram Bhusal has stated that the government did a wrong thing by bringing the ordinances and added that they should be rejected by the House. "We should not allow it to be passed by the House. We can also not implement them now," Bhusal said. "We should immediately take a decision through the standing committee meeting and not allow their implementation."
Pointing that splitting of parties was made a little difficult for political stability, he accused the government of trying to invite instability by relaxing the provision.
The Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar Monday passed 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.
He demanded standing committee meeting immediately saying the party statute requires it to be held every three month. "It is nearly four months since the last meeting. The two chairmen had expressed commitment to convene standing committee meeting every four month and that should be implemented."
Another standing committee member Ashta Laxmi Shakya also sees no alternative to calling a standing committee meeting. "PM has displayed arbitrariness my bringing the ordinances. He has challenged the procedures and systems of the party," Shakya opined. "They can be deactivated through political decision. The standing committee should decide what should be done next."
She also questioned the role of President Bidya Devi Bhandari in hastily authenticating the controversial ordinances. "My concern is why another person also committed a mistake after one did," she stated. "It is the president's mistake to authenticate the ordinances without any consultation immediately after the government sent them."
She accused that the ordinance about splitting party has been brought whimsically to split other parties and in a way to make even CPN weaker.
CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has consulted leaders close to him about the ordinances. "Chairman Dahal has discussed with leaders of different levels across the country. All have said this is wrong," standing committee member Mani Thapa said. "Recommendations have been received from everywhere to not allow implementation of the ordinances. It is necessary to hold adequate discussion on them."
The erstwhile Maoists, however, are unanimous that the ordinances should not affect party unification.
Standing committee member Devendra Paudel said the PM's step has created uncertainties and committees should discuss what to do now that the ordinances have already been issued.
Another standing committee member Yubaraj Gyawali called both the ordinances unnecessary and asked for an immediate standing committee meeting. "CPN-UML had proposed that 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and central committee is necessary for splitting party. And how has it been changed now? This should be answered in the party?" he said. "The provision saying presence of the main opposition leader in the Constitutional Council meeting is not necessary is also against democracy. It may be easier for some appointments now but we have sought democracy not state capture," he elaborated.
He pointed that Cabinet meeting, meeting of the high level coordination committee to fight COVID-19 and other kinds of meeting are being held even during the lockdown and argued that standing committee meeting should also be convened. "Politburo meeting was convened in China even during such great problems."
Standing committee members close to Oli, however, claim that there is no need to call a meeting. Standing committee member Satya Narayan Mandal told Setopati that trying to curb the PM's rights is not right. "How can the PM work when everything has to be asked with the standing committee. It is the PM's prerogative to bring an ordinance or not. The party cannot interfere in that," he argued.
He claimed that it is not possible to call standing committee meeting now even though it is time to call it. "Those who have home in Kathmandu can attend the meeting but how can those outside the Valley participate. How can one commute when lockdown has been enforced on others."
The Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar Monday had passed an ordinance allowing splitting of a party with support of 40 percent in either the parliamentary party or the central committee. The act about political parties requires support of 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and the central committee to split any political party.
The ordinance was brought as 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.
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.
Oli also brought another ordinance about majority decision in the Constitutional Council on Monday. The other ordinance states that the Constitutional Council can take decisions on the basis of majority. The six-strong council currently only has five members in lack of election for deputy speaker. The amendment means that the council can take decisions with support of three and even in absence of the main opposition leader and Speaker Agni Sapkota who is in Dahal faction.
It is understood that Oli has brought this ordinance to appoint his men in the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to ensure that he can threaten to lodge corruption case against the opponents both within the party and outside.
