There are signs of a split in the Nepali Congress, the main political party in Nepal. The establishment wing of the Nepali Congress has announced the expulsion of the party's general secretaries Gagan Thapa, Bishwaprakash Sharma and joint general secretaries Farmullah Mansural from the party.
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| Photo: Social Media |
The central committee meeting held at the party office in Sanepa on Wednesday announced the expulsion with the conclusion that they were against the party's interests.
Central member Laxmi Khatiwada said that the meeting decided to expel them without even being ordinary members for five years.Congress general secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, who was taken into action by the Deuba faction, has questioned the Sher Bahadur Deuba faction about how they can confuse Congress workers across the country by confusing and confusing them in discussions.
Addressing the special general convention hall at Bhrikuti Mandap, Thapa said that the Deuba faction had confused them and sent a letter to the Election Commission. He also urged the supporters of the general convention to exercise patience and restraint, saying that the leadership will be selected by consensus.
‘This is a battle, a campaign. Whatever the special general convention decides, the Election Commission of Nepal will accept it. This is what the Congress is, this is what it will remain,’ he said, ‘Should we stand here or think where everything is over?’
He also said that the Congress party is not anyone’s private company. ‘We have heard that we have been taken action,’ Thapa said, ‘This party is not anyone’s private company. I was studying in the 9th grade when I joined the Congress. I had participated in the 2046 movement. I had led the movement in 2062/063. I will not step down just because someone removed me.’
Despite continuously showing flexibility for consensus, the supporters of the special general convention have accused the Nepali Congress leadership of taking action against General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma, among others.
The Central Working Committee meeting held today had decided to take action against them on various charges. According to the central office, the action was taken on charges including calling a special general convention against the decision of the central committee.
However, the special general convention supporters have said that despite repeatedly being flexible in negotiations to preserve party unity and waiting for an agreement until the last moment, the group led by President Sher Bahadur Deuba has now been forced to form a new working committee after taking action.
Although more than 63 percent of the general convention delegates from all over the country have been pressuring to elect a new leadership, the special general convention supporters claim that General Secretaries Thapa and Sharma have been prioritizing negotiations.
However, they say that preparations are now being made to form a new working committee after the Deuba faction ignored the negotiations and displayed intolerant behavior.
It is said that homework to unanimously form a new working committee is now underway under the special general convention that has been ongoing since December 27 at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu.
After a meeting held at the party's central office, Sanepa, on Wednesday, Publicity Department Chief Min Bishwakarma informed that action has been taken against General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Joint General Secretary Farmullah Mansur for violating the party's statute and discipline.
According to Bishwakarma, the meeting has concluded that the General Secretaries and Joint General Secretaries have engaged in activities contrary to the statute at a time when the country is in a critical situation and the party is on the verge of its general convention.
They have been accused of organizing a separate gathering in Kathmandu without the party's official decision, inciting cadres, and conducting parallel activities, especially during the parliamentary party election and general convention process to be held on Falgun 21.
What are the main grounds for the action?
Action has been taken against them under Article 34, Clause 1 and Article 50 (5) of the Nepali Congress Statute 2017 (with amendments). The meeting has presented 4 grounds for the action.
1. Parallel practice: Special programs and gatherings were organized in Kathmandu without consulting the founding party and the office of the Central Working Committee, misinterpreting the articles of the statute.
2. Unauthorized General Convention Announcement: On 2082/09/29, the ‘Special Central General Convention Procedures 2082’ were passed without authorization, and the General Secretaries submitted a joint report and held discussions.
3. Parallel Election Schedule: An election committee was formed and the election schedule was published, and today (2082/09/30) the office bearers of the General Secretary’s post announced their candidacies for the party president and other posts and also submitted applications.
4. Harm to the party: Acting against the party’s ideals, principles and policies and causing direct/indirect loss and damage to the party.
These activities were deemed to be contrary to clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Article 34 (1) of the party statute and they were expelled from the party as per Article 22 Clause 20 and Article 34 Clause 8 of the statute.
3 main decisions taken by the meeting
Decision No. 1: Approval of the decisions of the Working Committee
The meeting has unanimously approved all the decisions taken by the Central Working Committee of the party so far.
Decision No. 2: Action against office bearers (expulsion)
Considering that they have seriously violated party discipline, it has been decided to expel General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma and Joint General Secretary Farmullah Mansur from the party with effect from today.
Decision No. 3: Call for others to return to the mainstream
The meeting has reminded the officials and members other than those who were involved in activities against the party's interests due to confusion or laziness, and has made a heartfelt appeal to them to return to the mainstream of the party and be active in regular work, reminding them of the scope of discipline.
In response to a journalist's query about the possibility of lifting the action, Spokesperson Bishwakarma indicated that the Central Working Committee could hold a hearing in the future if the person concerned provides a satisfactory explanation or appeal.
