By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 27 – General Secretary of CPN-ML, the breakaway faction of CPN-UML, today conceded that his party has been suffering from “serious” intra-party differences after he proposed drastic reforms in the existing electoral process.

“Some of our party colleagues are still not convinced that the present electoral system is in need of reforms,” Gautam said, refering to his recent proposal which among others says that the present electoral process should be changed drastically and that prime minister should be elected directly by the electorate.

Knowledgeable sources in CPN-ML say that the party leaders like Chandra Prakash Mainali are not in favour of Gautam’s proposal.

“I have not understood why they (the colleagues) are unhappy,” he added, without naming his disenchanted party colleagues.

Gautam was addressing his party cadres at an interaction programme organised by the party’s Publicity Department here Sunday.

Gautam, whose party faced a humiliating rout in last year’s May general elections, suddenly came up with the proposal early this month. The recently concluded 13th Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of his party too has endorsed the proposal.

He, however, said that the proposal seeking electoral reforms was his party’s “opinion” only. “I am not an election expert, nor am I the Constitution or law expert,” Gautam, who himself drafted the proposal, added.

The former Deputy Prime Minister nevertheless asserted that the country is in need of drastic changes and reforms and that should be initiated from the very base.

“Because the 10-year-old democracy has failed to bring about a change in the country, reforms have to be there,” Gautam said. “And that should begin with amendments in the Constitution…If the ruling (Nepali Congress) and the main opposition party (CPN-UML) agree it’s not a big deal.”