The closed session of the ongoing general convention of CPN-UML has empowered Chairman KP Sharma Oli to pick the consensus list of 19 office-bearers, 301 central committee members and chairmen of different commissions.
The party earlier raised the number of office-bearers from 15 to 19, and central committee members to 301 from 225 to accommodate aspirants. But the closed session has handed over all the powers for picking the office-bearers and central members to Oli after failing to reach consensus turning the process of democratically electing the party's leadership to his prerogative.
Oli will now submit the consensus list in the closed session to continue from 11 Sunday morning. The list to be presented by Oli will be official if the closed session endorses it. The party, however, will not prohibit election if somebody takes exception to the list.
Office secretary Sher Bahadur Tamang said the Oli's list will be implemented as it is if it is endorsed unanimously by the closed session and election will be held only for the positions where consensus is not possible.
Oli's lieutenant and Deputy Secretary General Bishnu Paudel, who is currently staking claim for the post of general secretary, brought the proposal authorizing Oli to prepare the consensus list. The closed session endorsed the proposal with thunderous applause.
Vice-chairman Bhim Rawal, who has already announced candidacy for party chair, immediately objected pointing that giving all the powers to pick the office-bearers and central members is tantamount to handing over the whole party to an individual, according to Jhapat Rawal who is close to Rawal.
Oli then responded to Bhim Rawal saying that they can go to election if anyone is not satisfied with the list he prepares.
