The Khanal-Nepal faction of ruling CPN-UML has decided to participate in the parliamentary party meeting called by Chairman and Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli.
A meeting of the faction at Kalanki earlier on Friday has decided to attend the parliamentary party meeting to be held later on the day.
"Lawmaker friends will attend the parliamentary party meeting and put their opinions," leader Raghuji Panta told Setopati. "We are attending the parliamentary party meeting as per the decision to struggle within the party to make the party stronger and run it in accordance to rules and system."
He did not reveal whether top leaders like Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal will attend the meeting but Khanal later confirmed with Setopati that he will attend the meeting.
Another leader Surendra Pandey also revealed that lawmakers of the faction will attend the parliamentary party meeting. "We will attend the meeting, put our opinion, submit note of dissent and return back," Pandey said talking with reporters after the meeting in Kalanki.
The parliamentary party meeting scheduled for later Friday is the first meeting held after ruling UML made parliamentary party leader more powerful granting discretionary powers to suspend party lawmaker any time.
The parliamentary party statute endorsed by the parliamentary party and central committee meetings has given the parliamentary party leader powers to immediately suspend any lawmaker for up to six months if the leader feels that the party or parliamentary party may suffer a big damage if regular process is followed for taking action.
Such action, however, will have to be submitted for endorsement in the first meeting of parliamentary party or parliamentary board whichever is held earlier.
The new provision in the statute has made Chairman and Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli much more powerful. He has comfortable majority in the parliamentary party and can take action against any lawmaker who criticizes him or take a stand against him.
The statute has also granted the parliamentary party leader powers to remove difficulties/obstacles should any arise in course of implementing the statute. The decision taken exercising the provision will have the standing of any provision in the statute.
