Second generation leaders of both the factions of CPN-UML have decided to keep trying for party unity.
The leaders of the two factions on Tuesday discussed the six-point proposal for unity by Chairman and Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli and the response to that by Khanal-Nepal faction on Monday, according to Ghanashyam Bhusal who is close to the latter faction.
Bhusal added that the meeting at a hotel in Lalitpur Tuesday evening has decided to continue discussion for unity. Subash Chandra Nembang, who is close to Oli, confirmed that the leaders have decided to continue discussion.
Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, PM's Chief Political Advisor Bishnu Rimal and UML Spokesperson Pradeep Gyawali were the other leaders to represent Oli in the meeting while Gokarna Bista, Bhim Acharya and Surendra Pandey were the other participants from the dissident faction.
Bista told Setopati that the two sides cordially discussed how the party can be unified. He said everyone is committed to save party unity at any cost and reiterated that discussions will be continued to achieve results.
Oli appealed to the dissident faction for party unity agreeing to meet its demands including returning the party to the state before unification with CPN (Maoist Center) Sunday night.
The Khanal-Nepal faction then called the proposal for party unity suspicious and decided to make its position public in writing.
The faction's standing committee meeting held on Monday to discuss Oli's proposal smelt a rat in the proposal asking the dissident UML lawmakers to withdraw their signature from the petition lodged with the Supreme Court (SC. It concluded that Oli does not seem to have made the proposal with sincere intention for party unity.
Proposing a six-point framework for party unity Sunday night, Oli addressed the major demands put forward by the Khanal-Nepal faction that is on verge of splitting from the party
The six-point proposal includes the dissident faction's bottom line of returning the party to the state before unification. Oli—who had unilaterally inducted new central and standing committee members after the Supreme Court (SC) invalidated unification on March 7, and dissolved all party committees forming organizing committees for general convention at their stead—also said all party committees will basically return to the state before unification and start functioning.
He proposed that a task force will work to resolve the problems seen in implementation of those proposals. He proposed that the dissident lawmakers, who have lodged the petition with SC demanding that UML parliamentary party leader be removed from the post of PM and replaced by an opposition leader, take back their signatures from the petition.
He also assured that no action will be taken for the mistakes and weaknesses by the dissidents during the intervening period, and there will be no prejudice and discrimination against them.
He proposed that all the leaders will make constructive contribution toward making UML unified, disciplined and stronger in terms of principles and organization.
Oli made the proposal after the standing committee meeting of Khanal-Nepal faction earlier on Sunday urged the cadres to focus on building organization apparently of a new party warning them to be not get fooled by the propaganda about party unity until there are solid results.
The meeting accused Oli of continuously practicing factionalism and disunity and called his offers for dialogue fraudulent tactic.
