National
Pressure mounts on Deuba to review election debacle
Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba is under pressure to call party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the earliest to review the election results.Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba is under pressure to call party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the earliest to review the election results.
Leaders from the establishment faction, including senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel and some of the leaders close to him, on Monday cranked up pressure on Deuba to summon the party’s CWC meet.
However, NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi said that it would not be good to call the meeting to review the election results before the National Assembly (NA) election.
Nidhi warned party President Deuba that reviewing the election results could spoil the environment of the NA election. “The House of Representatives hasn’t got its final shape yet,” Nidhi said, adding, “It will be better to hold the Central Working Committee meeting only after the completion of the National Assembly election.”
Central member Bal Krishna Khand, who is close to Deuba, said that the party should summon the CWC meet to review the elections results.
Pointing to criticism of the leadership from the party’s youth leaders over the election debacle, Khand said the CWC meeting should be called to pacify such criticism. The leaders have been even demanding a change in leadership through a special general convention.
Although Deuba appears to be ready for summoning the CEC meeting, a Baluwatar source said that the NC president had grown indecisive after leaders floated differing views in the meeting. “He is in a dilemma whether to call before the NA election or after it,” said the source.
Calling for action against those who betrayed the party in the elections, Deuba said that the meeting should be called to discuss the issue as well. Echoing Deuba’s sentiments, senior leader Poudel said that stern action should be taken against those who betrayed the party in the parliamentary and provincial elections.
Meanwhile, leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula expressed his reservation to remarks made by party General Secretary Shashanka Koirala at a function in Pokhara recently. Koirala had said that the left alliance should be torn down.
“Koirala’s statement is unbecoming of his position,” said Sitaula.