The dispute between Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Chairman Upenda Yadav and Federal Council Chairman Baburam Bhattarai is worsening.
The Bhattarai faction has been accusing Yadav of running the party unilaterally pointing that he decided the names of ministers and even about the National Assembly election without discussion in the party.
The Bhattarai faction had put a condition that the party should demand for three candidates in the ruling coalition for the National Assembly election. "He agreed for just two candidates on the one hand. And we could not even field candidate in Lumbini where we are stronger than CPN (Unified Socialist)," a leader close to Bhattarai told Setopati. "Our candidate in Province 1 Hem Raj was defeated. We could win only in Madhesh Province. This has to be reviewed."
Bhattarai had wanted to field Navaraj Subedi, who is close to him, from Lumbini in the National Assembly election. The Bhattarai faction has accused Yadav of trying to unilaterally decide even about the upcmoing local election and has been demanding executive committee meeting but Yadav has been dithering about it.
Bhattarai has reportedly mustered up majority in the 35-strong executive committee. A source close to Bhattarai confided with Setopati that the faction will be forced to take a decision if the executive committee meeting is not held.
"Party should run on the basis of collective decision. The party needs to convene meeting for that," executive member Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rai told Setopati. "Executive chairman of the party also needs to be picked. Who becomes that is not important. Collective decision is important."
Executive member Prakash Adhikari, who is close to Yadav, claimed that there is no dispute inside the party as rumored outside. He pointed that not just executive chair but even other positions have to be filled and added that executive committee meeting will be called soon.
The Yadav faction has accused Bhattarai of trying to create instability by bringing together unhappy leaders. Bhattarai has brought together not just who came from his Naya Shakti Party but even those who were with Yadav and those from RJP who still remain with JSP.
Physical Infrastructure Minister and executive member Renu Yadav accepted that there are some internal problems in the party but they are not complex and can be resolevd. "We have given respectable status to Bhattarai despite having just one federal lawmaker. I, therefore, believe there is not much problem even in integration," she pointed.
Executive member Navaraj Subedi said that the top leaders will soon resolve the dispute as the party now has to work for the local election. "Problems are not of the unresolvable kind. They will be resolved once the top leaders sit. The election is also coming. Dialogue of top leaders has also started."
