CPN Spokesperson Narayan Kaji Shrestha has slammed what he called efforts for character assassination linking him to the entrepreneurial dispute of CPN leader Kaman Singh Lama, who died of COVID-19, to weaken his campaign against corruption in the communist movement.
"I did not even have financial dealings with Lama. I am not even related to that project. I asked them to reach settlement when he came to me with request to mediate," Shrestha told Setopati. "Apart from that, I have no financial involvement—neither with the project, nor Lama. I didn't do anything apart from telling them to reach settlement."
He complained that conspiratorial attacks have been made against him despite the video clearly showing him trying to mediate a settlement. "That video does not create any illusion about me. The conspiratorial attack despite that is unfortunate," he stated. "I have been waging a battle against corruption and corrupt practices in the communist movement. This is an effort to weaken that. I will not be distracted by that."
A leader close to Shrestha said Lama had registered Yambling Hydropower Company in Sindhupalchowk. Lama roped in Susan Karmacharya, Shrestha's personal assistant, as a partner when the project did not move forward, and there was even threat of revocation of license.
The source added that Karmacharya and her team, with experience of running a small hydropower project in Bhojpur, joined Lama, who sought help saying he risked losing his investment of up to Rs 80 million, buying shares of Rs 25 million.
The leader claimed that there were differences between Lama and Karmacharya after a loan of Rs 20 million was taken from a bank on guarantee of the project as Lama faced debt of around Rs 30 million.
The source conceded that Shrestha mediated the dispute a few times after Lama went to Shrestha saying he will clear the bank loan himself and demanding Karmacharya cough up the money for her stake.
The source claimed that Lama had even went to CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal refusing the settlement facilitated by Shrestha, and added that Dahal had also advised to reach amiable settlement.