Change of tourism minister fuels speculations

Amatya’s removal from the ministerial post, however fuelled speculations because he is the second UML minister recalled from the same ministry within a year.

Last year, the UML leadership had removed party Secretary Bhim Acharya from the key ministry and appointed Amatya in his place.

Acharya at the time had reacted strongly as he was removed from the post even without giving him any reason for the action and this had dragged the party chairman KP Sharma Oli into controversy.

Office bearers of the UML said they have no knowledge about why Amatya was removed and replaced by Sherpa.

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UML secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, who is also the party spokesman, said the move to change the minister wasn’t the party’s official decision. He said the party in the past had a practice of taking such move only through party committees but the tradition has been broken in recent times.

“This is second time the party system has been violated. It was violated for the first time when Amatya was appointed minister,” said Bhattarai.

He,however, argued that it wasn’t the right time to dispute over nomination of a leader for the ministerial berth. “Because, it is time to support earthquake victims who have lost their loved ones and been rendered homeless,” Bhattarai told Republica. “We will discuss this matter in the party committees at a suitable time.”

Also, party vice-chair Yubaraj Gyawali told reporters at Singhadurbar that he was unaware of the nomination of Sherpa as the new tourism minister.

Party insiders said that the minister was removed as he defied the party chairman’s instructions while nominating office bearers in some key positions.

“The latest dispute was about nomination of vice-chair at Lumbini Development Trust,” said a party leader requesting anonymity. “He nominated a person for the post against the recommendation of the party chair Oli.”

Though Amatya is a member of the close team of former party chairman Jhalanath Khanal, he is replaced by Sherpa, a loyal member of Oli.
In the present government, two ministers – Amatya and Sports Minister Purushottam Paudel – were close to Khanal. But with the latest decision, even one of the two portfolios has gone to the Oli faction.

Nomination of Sherpa as tourism minister has been construed as a meaningful move as he is close to some key institutions in the tourism sector.

UML lawmaker Rajan Bhattarai, who is close to Oli, said Amatya was recalled as he couldn’t perform well in the government.
“Several questions were raised over his performance for some months. But his handling of the international airport after earthquake became more controversial,” he said.