Karnali Chief Minister Kandel Attacks Congress at Rallies Despite Alliance Support

Surkhet. CPN-UML Secretary Yamalal Kandel is currently the Chief Minister of the Karnali government with the support of the Nepali Congress. There were some disputes between the Congress and UML regarding government operations last year. The leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Jeewan Bahadur Shahi, had even issued warnings of withdrawing support.

Following the CPN (Maoist Centre) rebellion on Bhadra 23 and 24 last year, Congress has neither questioned the government nor raised any disputes. However, Chief Minister Yamalal Kandel has started openly commenting on the Congress.

In Surkhet-2, his close associate Kulmani Devkota is the UML candidate. Chief Minister Kandel participates in almost all of Devkota's election programs. As the election commander for UML in Karnali, he is striving to attract public support towards the UML and ensure the victory of the candidates. In his speeches at these programs, the main focus of his criticism is the Nepali Congress and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

Kandel, who leads the provincial government with the support of the Congress itself, brought up an old incident, commenting that during elections, Congress used to go to squatter settlements carrying gallons of liquor.

‘It is not like that now, let me tell you. When we contested elections around '49 [Bikram Sambat], in places where there were squatter settlements, settlements near the forest borders, the party named Congress used to go not with an ideology, not with a principle, but carrying gallons of liquor,’ he claimed.

It is mentioned in the public video that there used to be a competition to snatch those gallons. That video is from an election program inside Birendranagar.

He further said, ‘Now that the people are aware, they do not carry gallons visibly; nowadays, there is no need to distribute money, money now comes directly to your mobile phone.’ He mentioned the trend of treating voting as an object of transaction.

As soon as his comment was made public, many Congress leaders in Karnali were surprised. Before that comment could fade, Kandel's criticism targeting Congress came at another election program in Birendranagar.

‘There is another Congress party now, don't say much. The CPN (Maoist Centre) cadres captured that Congress party; the party that went to court saying Sher Bahadur Deuba and Purnabahadur Khadka from our district were humiliated by the CPN (Maoist Centre) cadres, what can that party do? I see no need to say anything more.’

Kandel stated that Congress is not on the streets like UML is now. ‘I have no objection if all Congress members come out on the streets like UML and campaign for the 'Tree' symbol,’ he said, ‘That campaign protects our constitution, it protects the republic. That responsibility and duty are not only of the UML, but it is also the duty and responsibility of the Congress.’

Following Kandel's public criticism of Congress, despite leading the provincial government with their support, Bishnu Kumar Khadka and Narayan Koirala, the Congress candidates for the two constituencies in Surkhet, gave counter-responses at a Congress provincial-level election rally held on Thursday.

Khadka, who is also the Vice-President of Congress Surkhet and a candidate for Surkhet-1, strongly rebutted. He stated that he has evidence of UML leaders and parliamentarians getting drunk and collapsing in Kathmandu's 'dohori' (folk music) restaurants. Khadka warned that he hoped he would not have to show that evidence.

‘The Chief Minister has made various kinds of accusations; understand one thing, you are the Chief Minister with the support of Congress itself,’ he told Kandel, ‘Regarding the indecent language you used, saying Congress members walk around carrying gallons of liquor, we also have evidence of UML leaders, whom we sent to Parliament after they won, dancing and collapsing after drinking liquor in Kathmandu's dohori restaurants.’

‘I hope we do not have to disclose that evidence,’ he warned. He indicated that the remark targeted those who won elections from Surkhet and became parliamentarians, but he did not disclose their names. Instead, he urged the Chief Minister not to use such ‘indecent words’ and to maintain the dignity of the Chief Minister's office. ‘Talk like this will not incite the public in the election,’ he said.

He also questioned the Surkhet Valley Drinking Water Institution, which UML had led for a long time, asking how the water supply to the slums was stopped, stating that they understood the matter.

Narayan Koirala, the Congress candidate for Constituency No. 2, also questioned Kandel in return. ‘A Chief Minister is talking a lot about gallons; the responsibility for the gallons is yours, you carry them,’ he said. ‘The responsibility to insult others belongs to your leader, to you; we respect everyone.’

Why is Kandel Aggressive Towards Congress?

Kandel is the Chief Minister in Karnali based on the alliance agreement made between Congress and UML at the center in the past. There is no separate agreement in the province. According to the central agreement, Kandel will lead the government until the month of Chaitra, after which Congress will take the lead. However, after the CPN (Maoist Centre) movement led to the ousting of the KP Sharma Oli-led government at the center, he seems to believe that the basis for this arrangement in the province no longer exists.

A UML parliamentarian, requesting anonymity, said, ‘It doesn't matter if he comments against Congress on public platforms to influence public opinion; if Congress seeks an excuse, the CPN (Maoist Centre) is still there.’

A Congress parliamentarian stated that the leadership of the government and Kandel's statements should be discussed after the elections. ‘Right now, we are all in the election; it seems he has forgotten whose support he has as Chief Minister while campaigning,’ the parliamentarian said. ‘Discussions will likely happen after the House of Representatives elections.’