Leaders in Koshi Province Demand Alternative to KP Sharma Oli's Leadership

Kathmandu. In discussions involving election review and collection of suggestions related to party restructuring, leaders from Koshi Province, following those from Bagmati, have stated that the party cannot move forward without seeking an alternative to Chairman KP Sharma Oli's leadership.

At the provincial-level review meeting held in Biratnagar, Koshi Province on Tuesday, leaders said that the UML cannot function with the current leadership and that Chairman Oli and his contemporaries should step down.

"People are fed up with the current leadership," said one leader, reflecting the opinion of most attendees. "We need to move forward with the reconstruction of the current executive leadership."

According to that leader, leadership from the current UML Chairman Oli and other contemporary figures is no longer possible.

"UML leadership is not possible from all the contemporary leaders of Chairman Oli. Rather, they should now take a rest," said another participant, quoting the majority of leaders who spoke at the meeting. "If one feels responsible for the incident of August 23, then it is appropriate to blame others in the context of August 24."

Attendees at the meeting stated the need to move forward by restructuring leadership from the central to the local level. However, some leaders from Jhapa at the Koshi meeting expressed the view that Oli's alternative should not be sought in the current leadership.

Binod Dhakal, Chairman of UML Koshi Province, said that most participants were in favor of party restructuring. The UML's provincial-level election review and party restructuring suggestion collection discussion, which began in Bagmati on June 14, concluded in Koshi on Tuesday.

Similarly, the UML's schedule includes collecting suggestions from Lumbini Province on June 19, Sudurpashchim Province on June 21, Karnali Province on June 23, Gandaki Province on June 26, Madhesh Province on June 28, the Capital on July 1, Contact Coordination on July 2, People's Organizations on July 3, and department heads and various organizational officials on July 4.

Central members, provincial office bearers, and district-level office bearers from the respective regions have been participating in the provincial-level meetings.

The debate over leadership restructuring has intensified within the UML, which suffered a humiliating defeat in the last election. Although Oli was in the minority in the secretariat meeting, he has indicated that he will not easily give up leadership and will instead face the central committee meeting.