CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal has taken exception to being called a “holy wine promoter” by the party’s chairman KP Sharma Oli.
During a recent television interview, Oli had said that Bhim Rawal, not Ek Nath Dhakal, was a holy wine promoter.
“Ek Nath Dhakal is not a holy wine promoter. Bhim Rawal may be a holy wine promoter. I have not heard Ek Nath Dhakal speak a word about holy wine. Maybe Bhim Rawal has spoken,” Oli said. “Criticizing, disagreeing with something is one thing, presenting it in a distorted manner is not appropriate.”
Writing on social media after Oli called him a “holy wine promoter”, Rawal questioned what else could Oli do if he is capable of saying such things.
Ek Nath Dhakal, who is associated with the Unification Church of South Korea, is in UML’s list of proportional representation (PR) candidates for the House of Representatives. Rawal had objected to Dhakal’s inclusion in the list earlier too.
Dhakal has been organizing various events under the banner of Unification Church in Nepal. In December 2018, the Church had organized the Asia Pacific Summit in Kathmandu. The event had come under criticism as the top leaders of all political parties of Nepal had attended the event and drunk “holy wine” (wine blessed by the leader of the Church).
Dhakal had formed Nepal Family Party before that and twice become lawmaker from the party. He was appointed minister for cooperatives and poverty alleviation in Baburam Bhattarai’s cabinet in 2012.
He was the peace minister during Oli’s first stint as prime minister in 2015.
Dhakal is in UML’s list of PR candidates for the HoR elections due to his close relationship with chairman Oli. He was in the party’s list of PR candidates in 2017 too.
