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Khanal, Oli at daggers drawn
- Former takes helm of talk panel, latter sulks
KATHMANDU, JUL 07 -
It’s yet another round in the topsy-turvy relations between CPN-UML Chief Jhala Nath Khanal and his bete noire KP Sharma Oli.
On Tuesday, Khanal assumed the helm of the talks committee formed four months ago to negotiate with other parties, especially the Maoists, who had launched a series of anti-government protests.
UML leaders close to Khanal said on Tuesday that the head honcho was forced to take command after Oli’s “non-cooperation” in forming a national consensus government, which Khanal is hoping to head. After the fall of the Madhav Nepal-led government Oli has been advocating a Nepali Congress (NC)-led majority government and is “dead against” either a Maoist-led or a Khanal-led government.”
“Khanal’s first priority is a national consensus government led by him but Oli is not biting the bait. He wants an NC-led majority government,” a UML Politburo member told the Post.
In Tuesday’s meeting, Khanal again urged Oli to garner other parties’ support in forming a national consensus government with him as the leader, a request that Oli nixed outright. “After toppling our own party-led majority government, I no longer hold the moral authority to hold talks with other parties or claim the government leadership for you [Khanal],” a central committee member quoted Oli as equivocating.
An Oli aide said he was in “no mood” to seek support for Khanal. Oli is miffed with Khanal after the latter accused the former in Tuesday’s Central Committee meeting of “setting hurdles” in the party’s leadership way.
Right after Khanal proposed leading the talks committee to replace Oli at the meeting, the latter walked out of the meeting wishing Khanal the “best of luck.” Khanal has lost out on Oli’s support after Tuesday’s episode. “Since I have given up, he (Khanal) may form a national consensus government led by him, “ a bitter Oli told the Post. UML leaders trace the genesis of soured relations to Khanal’s reluctance to appoint Oli as a Constituent Assembly member.
Posted on: 2010-07-08 08:18
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