KP Sharma Oli States Party Crisis Not Solely His Fault, Calls for Collective Responsibility

Kathmandu. CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has stated that his sole fault is not responsible for the breakdown of discipline and methodology in the party. Speaking with some provincial and central leaders at his residence in Gundu on Saturday, immediately after the Bagmati Province gathering of the election review and reorganization task force, Chairman Oli expressed dissatisfaction that some leaders are trying to escape by blaming only him, stating that the crisis in the party must be resolved collectively.

Some leaders had demanded Oli's ouster at the Bagmati gathering. Pointing to the support of Vice Chairman Bishnu Paudel and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel for those who raised such voices at the gathering, Oli stated that the party should not be undermined in the name of reorganization.

"We should not undermine the party in the name of reorganization," a leader quoted Oli as saying in Gundu, "The greedy and sinful are visible." Oli, who spoke with the provincial leaders for about an hour and a half, also stated that Vice Chairman Paudel and General Secretary Pokharel have not yet understood how the party functions and should be run.

"They haven't understood, they will understand gradually," another leader quoted Oli as saying. "Even if another chairman is made, how long will they last and survive? They haven't understood this either."

Oli emphasized that the reorganization of the party does not happen by simply replacing one person. "The party reorganization does not happen by just changing some people," Oli said. "We may have loosened our entire working style, discipline, and methodology; now we need to fix it and move forward unitedly."

Emphasizing discipline and methodology, Oli reiterated that the weaknesses are not solely due to him and expressed the view that all committee leaders should take responsibility for the weaknesses.

"The responsibility for weaknesses should be taken by everyone in the committee, not just one person," the source quoted Oli as saying. "Discipline and methodology have been broken; Vishnu, Shankar, PS are also responsible for this." Oli also questioned why those leaders remained silent previously.

"Everyone deified me yesterday, saying that what KP Oli did to give a ward chairman's ticket was correct," Oli said. He stated that in the matter of collective leadership, leaders have a tendency to show their own actions as superior and to avoid saying 'I did right' by attributing it to higher authorities.

Oli clearly told the leaders who came to Gundu that a front against him is being formed within the party. "A front has been formed. We know this. But I have not made any mistakes," Oli said. "But what happens by removing me? Through what process will I be removed? There must be a process for that too," Oli said. He stated that he would explain in detail at the upcoming central committee meeting, adding, "There are not only greedy and sinful people in UML, but also sensible leaders and workers. They will make the right decision."

At the Bagmati gathering, even leaders considered to be from Oli's faction stated that UML cannot function in its current state. Similarly, those in favor of party reorganization distributed separate plans. In the meeting, leaders Anand Pokharel, Gokul Baskota, Krishna Bhakta Pokharel, Kranti Burla Koti, Urmila Sunuwar, among others, expressed the view that the party cannot be run by Oli and that reorganization and restructuring are necessary.