UML had already warned of taking action against Poudel if he continued with his decision to appoint ‘controversial’ Keshav Kumar Bista as Member Secretary of NSC, the apex sports body. “He did not abide party’s decision. So party is sacking him soon,” said Krishna Gopal Shrestha, UML office secretary.

Shrestha informed the party is writing a letter to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to remove Minister Poudel from the position. “Most probably party’s disciplined leaders will be appointed as sports minister today itself,” he said informing that the party leaders are drafting letter to the PM Koirala.

Shrestha will become the fourth UML minister to be sacked from ministerial berth after Industry Minister Karna Bahadur Thapa, Tourism Minsiters Bhim Acharya and Deepak Chandra Amatya on charge of not performing well and abiding party’s instructions during their stay in positions.

Dissatisfied with Poudel's recent decision to appoint Bista as NSC Member Secretary, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli had asked the minister either to correct appointment or face consequences.

Poudel, however, refused to put in papers claiming he had received no official direction from the party to resign. "I have done nothing wrong to quit my post. The party has also not asked me to resign," Poudel said to eKantipur.

Nepal camp against the decision

A meeting of UML leaders loyal to former party General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has decided to oppose the move to remove Miniser Poudel, saying that frequent replacement of party’s minister in the government won’t benefit the party in transition.

Nepal summoned Minister Poudel at a Baneshwor-based hotel to enquire about the party Chairman’s bid to recall him from the position. “Replacing the party ministers without consulting the party leaders won’t benefit the party. We have to oppose such unruly decision,” said Nepal in the meeting.

Leaders close to Nepal—Deputy General Secretary Ghanshyam Bhusal, Standing Committee member Surendra Pandey, Politburo member Raghuji Panta, among others, gathered at the hotel to discuss party Chairman’s bid to recall Sports Minister Poudel.