Koirala chose to make the ruling as his efforts to settle the row over prime ministerial candidacy in the party failed to yield any result. [break]
Koirala held a meeting with Deuba and parliamentary party leader Paudel just before the CWC meeting as the latter had snubbed a similar meeting called on Tuesday evening, miffed over Koirala´s move to nominate nine CWC members apparently to secure majority in the CWC.
After his briefing on the current political situation at the CWC meeting, Koirala had asked both Deuba and Paudel to explain on what basis they could win the PM election.
Deuba claimed he would win the election as both the UCPN (Maoist) and the UML leaders had expressed their support to him as it was morally difficult for them to vote for Paudel, who was defeated in each of the16 rounds of voting held earlier.
Similarly, Paudel argued that denying him prime ministerial candidacy just because he repeatedly failed to garner majority votes in parliament would mean his “political assassination”. “I have actively been engaged in the party´s politics since 1961. Shall I then go to the street now,” he said. “After all it was the party which decided to field my candidacy.”
Paudel also argued that it is not an individual leader but the party as a whole that other parties are supposed to support. “I have also talked to leaders of other parties, including the UML. They have pledged to support me,” a CWC member quoted Paudel as saying.
Altogether five CWC members, including Purna Bahadur Khadka, Arjun Nara Singh KC, Ram Sharan Mahat, Krishna Sitaula and Bimalendra Nidhi expressed their opinions at the meeting. While Khadka and Nidhi spoke in favor of fielding alternative prime ministerial candidate from the party, KC argued any decision taken by the party should be endorsed by the CWC meeting.
Likewise, Dr Mahat and Sitaula had had rooted for Paudel´s candidacy.
While CWC members close to Koirala supported his ruling, leaders close to Deuba walked out of the assembly hall saying the decision was endorsed through majority and not through consensus.
Bal Krishna Khand, who is close to Deuba, vented his ire for not allowing them to speak at the meeting. “We will support the party´s decision,” he told media persons. “But we wonder how long the government formed this way will last?
NC General Secretary Prakashman Singh, however, claimed, “The CWC has unanimously endorsed the Koirala´s proposal to field Paudel as prime ministerial candidate.”
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