Nepali Congress Intensifies Action Against Members Accused of Sabotage in Lumbini Province Elections

Butwal. In Lumbini Province, action is being intensified against members of the Nepali Congress accused of internal sabotage following the House of Representatives elections.

Applications reaching the central office from various districts of the party mention that some leaders and cadres did not support the official candidates and instead backed independent or opposition candidates.

Leaders state that a situation has arisen within the Nepali Congress where one faction is obstructing while another is taking action.

Names ranging from local workers to provincial-level and former central members have been sent for action at the provincial and central levels.

The Nawalparasi Congress District Working Committee recommended action against 43 individuals, including former Central Member Devendraraj Kandel, Mahasamiti Member Gunandhi Tiwari, Regional Chairman Madhav Prasad Pandey, Provincial Forest Minister Devkaran Prasad Kalwar, and District Member Sanjaymani Tripathi, for allegedly supporting others instead of their own candidates in Constituency No. 1 and 2.

Interestingly, a separate faction has filed a complaint with evidence at the central level demanding action against Nawalparasi District Chairman Arjun Kumar Pokharel, who recommended action at the center.

A complaint was recently registered at the party's central office accusing Congress Chairman Pokharel of non-cooperation during the election, refusing to meet central leaders when they visited, and investing to defeat his own party's ward chairman in the previous election.

There are 58 individuals, including regional working committees, municipal chairmen, and ward chairmen, listed in the application filed on Chaitra 10 demanding action against Chairman Pokharel.

Most district committees are sending recommendations for action against the opposing faction in this manner.

• What is happening with the complaints at the provincial level?

A letter recommending the expulsion of Tansen Municipality Secretary Shailendra Bhattarai from the party for 5 years, effectively stripping him of basic membership, for activities aimed at defeating the candidate in Palpa District's Constituency No. 2, Himaldutta Shrestha, during the election, is currently circulating on social media.

Based on evidence received from the constituency, the Palpa District Party Office has sent this recommendation to the province and the center.

A few days ago, Mahasamiti Member Laxminarayan Shah and Provincial Mahasamiti Representative Raju Yadav were recommended for action in Banke District's Constituency No. 3.

Recommendations for action against Provincial Ministers and high-ranking party leaders are currently continuing to arrive from other districts.

Prakash Rana, Treasurer of the Nepali Congress Lumbini Province and Coordinator of the Election Discipline Committee formed by the party, told Ratopati that recommendations for action are currently arriving from almost all districts.

He stated that although the exact number at the provincial level is uncertain, over 100 such recommendations have been received, as the process is ongoing.

According to him, the highest number of recommendations for action have come from Nawalparasi and Kapilvastu districts. Recommendations have also arrived from other districts and various constituencies.

Recommendations for action have also been received from Rupandehi's Constituency No. 3 and 4.

Rana stated that the committee will convene in a few days to discuss the recommendations received from the districts and deliberate on the related matters.

He mentioned that since the evidence has not yet been examined, it is impossible to say how many individuals have been recommended or on what basis, as the recommendations are still coming in. He added that the upcoming meeting will conduct a thorough review and make the necessary decisions.

Leaders claim that internal sabotage is the main reason in constituencies where the expected election results were not achieved and are pressuring for strict action against the guilty. On the other hand, some Congress leaders and cadres claim that 'allegations are being made based on political prejudice' and are demanding an impartial investigation.

Yogendra Chaudhary, Central Co-General Secretary of the Congress and candidate for Dang Constituency No. 1, stated that the exact number of action recommendations received at the center is currently unknown.

He clarified to Ratopati that the specifics of the recommendations will only be known once the files are opened, as the process of receiving recommendations is ongoing.

He emphasized that the party is clear that action is necessary to maintain discipline, but decisions will be made based on concrete evidence, not on personal bias or prejudice against anyone.