Deuba renews call for unity package Koirala stresses ‘discipline’ and ‘patience’

July 1, 2002
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By Damaru Lal Bhandari

KATHMANDU, June 1: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stressed the revocation of his expulsion and reconstitution of both Parliamentary Committee (PC) and Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committee (CWC) as part of the measures which can be instrumental in resolving the current crisis in the party.

Deuba issued the latest call while addressing the General Convention members of the party from the eastern region in the capital. The members are calling for unity among the warring factions in the party.

“The party should revoke the expulsion order and come up with a package programme to rule out internal crises in the future”, Deuba said. He, however, made it clear that he had very little time to wait for the party decision.

The package, which has been asked for a number of time, includes induction of “deserving” faces in the powerful CWC and PC, both of which are crucial bodies in the party.

Faction opposed to NC President Girija Prasad Koirala has time and again flayed the induction of known Koirala supporters in the CWC and PC, something which has left out much more senior members of the party. Koirala had for understandable reasons earlier dropped Khum Bahadur Khadka and Ram Chandra Poudel from the PC.

Speakers from among the members of the General Convention stressed the need to revoke the expulsion and keep the party united.

Meanwhile, Koirala, addressing a separate meeting today, reiterated his call to the party workers not to be “carried away by emotions through times when the party has come under attack”. He was addressing a meeting organised by Kathmandu district unit of the party on Saturday.

Talking about the current political situation, Koirala cited examples of how the party had turned ultimate winner in all the situations. “But,” as he added, “this would not be possible without discipline and patience among us all.”

Elaborating on the current crises, Koirala said he was expecting “all this” to happen and had thus gone on to thrash up broad national democratic alliance as a way out. “In fact, whatever has happened is part of the “grand design” which was long in the making and implementation.”

These remarks came in reference to the dissolution of the House of Representatives by Deuba. Already expelled by the party’s central disciplinary committee, Deuba is currently under criticism for his moves in the party.

Koirala also said he would first be meeting the party activists across the country before enforcing discipline in the party in a uniform manner. Inferentially, the expulsion of ministers, who are still alongside Deuba, will depend on the reactions coming from people on Deuba’s expulsion.

Koirala also said the party should analyse the international scenario and moves of the Maoists in the period in between. He is, however, expected to make definite moves after he returns from China visit, which began today.

Expressing surprise at the timing of the elections, Koirala disclosed that he had even told the US ambassador to Nepal, Michael Malinowski, that holding elections was indeed a tough task under such fluid circumstances. He even hinted that the US envoy had seen nothing wrong in the announcement when the latter came calling on him.

“What type of elections can we expect under a state of emergency? Koirala claimed to have told the US envoy, adding “we certainly are not looking forward to the type of election Gen Musharraf of Pakistan conducted with 97 percent of votes cast were in his favour.”