UML disciplinary committee reprimands PM Khanal, Gautam

KATHMANDU, Aug 2: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who is also the chairman of the ruling CPN-UML, has come under fire in his own party after he inducted nine Maoist ministers into his cabinet Monday even as the party´s standing committee meeting, with an overwhelming majority, decided not to do so earlier on the same day.



Taking strong exception to the statements and conduct of both the prime minister and the party´s vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam at the meeting, the central disciplinary commission of the party has cautioned the two not to repeat such mistakes in future.[break]



"The way the prime minister behaved at the party´s standing committee meeting with disregard for his esteemed position citing prime minister´s prerogative, the way he expressed his opinions under the sway of emotion, and the way he abruptly left the meeting on his own, are against our party´s tradition and system," said chairman of the disciplinary commission Amrit Kumar Bohara, in his statement issued after the body´s meeting Tuesday. "The commission has thus criticized such an aggressive and irresponsible act."



The disciplinary commission has cautioned Chairman and Prime Minister Khanal not to repeat such mistakes and weaknesses in future and run the party as per the party statute and established system and procedures in a responsible manner.



It has cautioned Gautam not to repeat such behavior in future. "Gautam has made public his statements that are tantamount to provoking the situation even though as a party vice chairman he should have played an active role to resolve the matter in a self-restrained manner," said the commission.



It has said the party´s all-powerful body, the central committee, in its meeting scheduled to start from August 6 will take up the row, among other current political issues, and settle them amicably.



The standing committee meeting Monday saw heated debate between the prime minister and other top leaders on whether or not to induct a team of nine Maoist ministers in the cabinet. Stating that it was the Maoist party´s right to make changes to the party´s ministerial nominees, Khanal urged UML leaders to allow him to appoint the ministers. But other leaders including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli vehemently opposed the proposal saying it was against the spirit of the five-point deal reached among the three major political parties. Surprisingly, only Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam stood in favor of Khanal and other leaders including Yuvaraj Gyawali and Bharatmohan Adhikari, who were supposedly loyal to the party chairman, didn´t back him.



Khanal and Gautam had walked out of the meeting as they found unprecedented alignment at the meeting. While Khanal and Gautam have claimed that the meeting didn´t take any decision on whether or not to induct the Maoist ministers into the cabinet saying it doesn´t fall under UML´s jurisdiction, other leaders maintained that an overwhelming majority of the party´s top body decided against induction.



Oli accuses Khanal of working for Maoist interests



Meantime, Oli has accused the party chairman Khanal of working at the behest of Maoist leaders against UML´s policy and interest. "He doesn´t seem to be UML chairman because he is guided by Maoist decisions and their policies," Oli told reporters at his residence in Balkot on Tuesday.



He said he inducted Maoist ministers even as most of the UML standing committee members on Monday suggested to him not to do so. "Now I am going to administer oath of office and secrecy to the Maoist ministers. You do whatever you can because I can´t obey this decision to stop the swearing in ceremony," Oli quoted Khanal as saying at the end of the standing committee meeting on Monday. According to him, of the total 12 standing committee members present at the meeting 10 had supported the decision to stop the swearing in ceremony.



Oli informed that vice-chairman Gautam had also warned of splitting the party if other leaders would go against the party establishment.



Asked if he sees such a possibility, Oli said since Gautam had broken the party in the past and rejoined the mother party later, he may give a try for that. "But I am optimistic that Khanal will correct his mistakes and work as per the party policy and decisions," he said.



In another query about what action the central committee meeting may take against the party chairman, he said the chairman can be pardoned if he makes self-criticism. "Self-criticism is also an action," he added.

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