CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has said the dissident faction will be flexible in the dialogue with Chairman KP Sharma Oli but added that no agreement has been reached yet.
Leaders of the Khanal-Nepal faction and Oli camp have been holding discussions recently to prevent split in the ruling party that looks inevitable while Nepal on Thursday met President Bidya Devi Bhandari who has been actively representing the Oli camp in the recent power dynamics in the ruling party.
Oli also met leaders of the Khanal-Nepal faction Ghanashyam Bhusal and Yogesh Bhattarai for almost three hours Thursday night.
There have been reports that the two camps are close to resolving the dispute but Nepal refuted that saying no deal has been reached until now. "We want a strong and united UML that operates on principles and revolutionary policies and rules because this is a party we have built," Nepal stated Friday morning. "We will hold dialogue and also exercise flexibility to that end. But there has been no agreement until now."
Dispute in UML has reached boiling point after the Supreme Court (SC) invalidated unification of UML with CPN (Maoist Center) on March 7 reinstating the two parties to the state they were on the day of unification.
Nepal reiterated the faction's demand that Oli should take back the unilateral decisions he took on March 12 and move forward from the state the party was on the day of unification with Maoist Center, calling the demand the faction's bottom-line. "I urge everyone to not remain in any illusion and confusion about that and to continue in the great campaign to form a strong and improved party," Nepal stated.
Lawmakers of the Khanal-Nepal faction have already warned Oli they will resign en masse if he does not mend ways and refuses to return to the status on the day of unification with CPN (Maoist Center) ahead of the vote of confidence that Oli has sought on May 10.
Oli, who was seen determined to continue to squeeze the dissident faction, has started negotiations with the faction after that. He cannot pass the floor test if the lawmakers of the faction remain absent in voting or resign before voting.
