Four of the eight UML members in the 43-member CA committee demanded that they be allowed to withdraw their votes that they earlier cast in favor of the system of electing executive prime minister by parliament. [break]
The CA committee on December 1 had held a vote on systems of governance and elections from among proposals put forth by the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), UML and the Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP). Of the 38 votes cast during the poll, the Maoists received 18 votes, NC and UML together 16 and TMDP 3, while four members were absent. The NC and UML had formed an alliance to counter the Maoist proposal, combining the NC´s system of governance and UML´s electoral system.
At the committee meeting on Saturday, Ratna Gurung, Sonam Chhejung Lama, Hasina Miya and Pradyumna Chauhan demanded that they be allowed to register their votes in favor of direct election of the executive prime minister, which the UML had proposed in its manifesto and later endorsed it in its general convention.
Ratna, Lama, Miya and Chauhan held the common view that they cannot quit an agenda that they had advocated during the election campaign. They had on Thursday written to the committee chairman to withdraw their votes.
But the committee Chairman Shambhu Hajara Dusadh said that they won´t be allowed to do so as “everything on the issue” was concluded the same day following a due process.
As Dusadh put forth the proposal to allow him to forward the preliminary draft report to the 601-member CA house, the four UML members took serious exception. The proposal to forward the draft was passed by majority amidst their protests.
"Chairman you deprived us of our individual rights," the members protested. Another UML member Bishnu Poudel, who is also the party secretary, remained silent throughout the meeting. As the senior-most leader among the UML members in the committee, he had played a key role in forging alliance with the NC in the voting.
Poudel, Prithivi Subba Gurung, Krishna Prasad Sapkota and Govinda Nepali are other UML members in the committee. According to Ratna, Nepali also wants to withdraw his vote. “He wants to withdraw the vote but couldn´t come here today [Saturday] as he is out of the capital,” she told myrepublica.com.
“As our leader in the committee I had informed Poudel about our decision to withdraw the votes. He said it would be better if I didn´t withdraw the vote,” Ratna said. She also informed the UML Chief Whip Bhim Acharya about the matter. He told her that she was free to take the decision she thinks appropriate.
Reflection of the intra-party rift
The UML is clearly divided over the issue. The leaders who were active in forging alliance with the NC said they did so as per the mandate of the party´s politburo meeting.
But a parliamentary party meeting on January 11 decided to stick to pledges made by the party in its CA election manifesto on system of governance.
It clearly reflected the intra-party rift -- one led by party Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and the other led by his arch-rival KP Sharma Oli.
The parliamentary party is believed to be Khanal´s stronghold while Oli commands majority in the party´s central and politburo committees.
Though the leaders close to Oli have claimed that the decision was taken as per the mandate of the politburo, others who are insisting to stick to the party policy have argued that the politburo can´t take such an important decision. According to them, only the central committee and general convention can make the changes in the party´s stated policy.
As per the CA regulations, political parties can´t impose whip on their CA members.
thira@myrepublica.com
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