CPN-UML is working in a way to return Bhim Rawal to regular party works before the central committee meeting scheduled to be held from May 11-13 in Jhapa.
The main opposition party on April 1 had formed a team led by Vice-chairman Bishnu Paudel and including Secretary Lekh Raj Bhatta and politburo member Karna Thapa to hold dialogue with Rawal who has not been actively working for the party since he challenged KP Sharma Oli for the post of chairman in the 10th general convention held in November 2021.
Oli did not give ticket to Rawal in the federal elections held in November 2022 while the party has accused Rawal of conniving to defeat the party’s official candidates in his home district Achham.
The team held a round of dialogue with Rawal on April 16. “Our discussion with him will have to reach conclusion before the central committee meeting,” Thapa told Setopati. “We are preparing accordingly.”
Chairman of the party’s Discipline Commission Keshav Badal had also held discussion with Rawal before the talk team met Rawal. “He does not have any political or ideological differences. He has some demands which can be addressed,” Badal told Setopati. “A talk team has been formed since and it must be holding discussion with him.”
Paudel also said that the discussion was positive. “Talks have yet to reach conclusion. We are still in discussion and will soon reach conclusion,” Paudel said.
Leaders close to Oli claim that Rawal has been demanding the post of senior leader but Rawal has refuted that. “They had said that they would inform me. But they haven’t,” Rawal said. “I have not demanded any post.
He added that he raised the issues, that he had been publicly raising, in the dialogue. “My concern is how Nepal can benefit. The country’s nationalism has been weakened. There are issues of borders, international relations have become weak. The economic state of country is weak. What is the party’s position about that? The issue of managing the organizational life of party comes only after concluding these issues.”
