CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has lashed out at CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal after the latter quit the erstwhile coalition to form one with CPN-UML.
Dahal quit the coalition with NC and Unified Socialist on Sunday and became prime minister (PM) with support of CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party, RPP, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), Janamat Party and Nagarik Unmukti Party after Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to make him PM first.
“He left saying the coalition has unraveled. He didn’t even ask about holding discussion for another alternative. This is his habit,” Nepal has complained about Dahal’s habit of abandoning friends after using them.
He has revealed that Dahal had told him that they should go and talk with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli about new equation if Deuba refused to make the latter PM. “But he went directly to Balkot (Oli’s residence) without implementing that proposal. He didn’t send any message.”
Grievances between Nepal and Dahal seem to be mutual with the latter also being unhappy with his erstwhile ally against Oli while in the then ruling CPN formed after unification of UML with Maoist Center.
Dahal complained in the Maoist office-bearers meeting on Monday that Nepal did not push Deuba to make Dahal PM first during the meeting in Baluwatar on Sunday. “I was hoping that Nepal would ask Deuba to implement the agreement but he seems to be ungrateful,” Dahal rued.
He was also unhappy with Nepal for insisting to continue with the then ruling coalition and not form a left alliance including the three communist parties.
A Maoist leader confided that the acrimony between Nepal and Oli also stopped Dahal from consulting Nepal before allying with Oli. The leader added that Dahal was cautious about the fact Oli may refuse to forge the new coalition if he had insisted about taking Unified Socialist along.
The two leaders seem to be working to amend their relation now and even had a casual chat during the swearing-in ceremony of Dahal on Monday. “He didn’t even ask me to accompany him on Sunday but he has been talking about sitting for discussion after being appointed prime minister. I do not have any complaints with Dahal now,” Nepal has said.
Unified Socialist seems to have adopted the policy of wait and watch regarding the Dahal government. The two leaders have yet to meet despite Dahal’s proposal for dialogue.