NCP secretariat tells PM- Either follow party decision or make way!

Bimal Gautam

Kathmandu, 28 February (2020) - Members of the incumbent party NCP's secretariat have arrived at the conclusion that PM KP Sharma Oli can be replaced if he disobeys the party decision to recommend vice-chair Bamdev Gautam as a candidate to the National Assembly, Lokantar can reveal.

A highly placed source told Lokantar that secretariat members have sent two clear messages to the PM- "Either obey party's decision or make way for the implementation of the decision".

"By asking the PM to make way for the implementation of the party decision the party has clearly told the premier that he can be replaced," the source said.

The secretariat meeting on Wednesday had arrived at a consensual decision of recommending the name of Bamdev Gautam for the National Assembly member to be nominated by the President. Even PM Oli had agreed to the decision.

But not even an hour had passed when PM Oli phoned senior leaders and told them that he won't recommend Gautam's name and will instead recommend the name of incumbent finance minister Yubaraj Khatiwada. The PM said that he was ready to face the consequences.

The PM is steadfast in favour of Khatiwada while all other members of the secretariat are abiding by party's decision.

"A person cannot be bigger than the party. The party takes institutional decision. The PM should either implement the party's decision or be ready to be replaced. Even the PM knows this. Let's see how he moves ahead," the source told Lokantar.

The source was clear that the PM will be able to save his post if he implements the party decision.

NCP Secretariat has altogether nine members. All except Oli agree on the recommending Bamdev Gautam's name to the National Assembly.

"There have been rumours that Oli has convinced one or the other member to support him but the PM is alone in this, no one is with him," the source said. "In this situation it would be suicidal for the PM to disobey party's decision and it would also not do any good to the party."

Secretariat members say that NCP leaders and activists as well as the public at large is disappointed with Oli's stance. "The PM should obey party's decision as a damage control measure and rescue people from despair," the source said. "Otherwise politics will take a new course and we shall see substantial changes in coming days."