Kathmandu: The ongoing “Big-Fight” in the UML’s political paraphernalia has taken yet another frightening dimension with UML affiliated newspapers taking sides of their respective “fund raisers” and “political mentors”.
A close and careful look at some very powerful UML mouthpieces would reveal the intensity and the gravity of the said Big-Fight in between Madhav Nepal and his nearest and dearest rival, Khadga Prasad Sharma Woli.
To recall, the fight that is on since Madhav Nepal indirectly hinted in his political paper submitted at the party conference last month that Woli had not only direct links with various power centers, within and without, and that the accused never felt it appropriate to submit verbatim the outcome of his talks with such power centers.
Woli, as is understandable, refuted Mr. Nepal’s what he prefers to call “wild allegations” with equal force. This in essence became the source of a sort of permanent rift in between the two UML big-shots which proliferated down to the grass-root levels like a fire in the jungle to the extent that the UML common cadres apparently now feel very uncomfortable to shake hands with each other thinking that the other one advocated the other’s ideas.
By Monday and at time of penning this write-up, what is being given to understand to us by both the almost “warring rival lobbies” led respectively by Madhav and Woli is that the “elections” to the convention membership have gone in their favor whole and sole. The other contending party naturally would reject the other camp’s claim.
“Who will have a majority at time of the convention in Janakpur only time will tell. Nurturing illusions and claiming that the majority was in their favor will be shattered all at a go at the time of the convention”, said a beaming Ishwar Pokhrel, a UML stalwart who is clearly close to Madhav Nepal, the supposed establishment panel which wishes to recapture the incumbent set up only to continue for yet another term.
Pokhrel continues to add that “the UML workers have rejected the issue raised by a grroup which actually is aspiring for some position but has given it a political color by claiming to democratise the party”.
To recall, Madhav Nepal and his blind supporters wish to continue the party’s functioning in a dogmatic manner as is usual with the communist parties all over the world. This means that the present establishment prefers to continue its rule and run the party at its whim which is being forcefully challenged by those who wish a replacement of the present party set up with a new one preferably by a set who now oppose Madhav Nepal. This means that Woli and his faction would very much wish to summarily replace Nepal with Woli.
“When the entire nation is already in the process of more democratization, why not the UML adopt the same line”? questions Woli. In his bid to oust Madhav Nepal , Woli is being backed to the hilt by yet another firebrand Bamdev Gautam who only recently returned to the mainstream UML but is apparently yet to heal the wounds which he received from Madhav Nepal at time of the first split some four years ago.
Undenyingly, Bamdev Gautam is yet another candidate for the post of the UML General Secretary currently being enjoyed by Mr. Nepal for years and years.
The convention which is scheduled to be held from February 1 till the 5th will predictably bring both Madhav and Woli face to face with hopefully surfacing up of allegations being hurled against each other.
By and large, the convention and its proceedings if not handled with care, might catapult in a dangerous rift in between the two factions with chances of yet another split.
UML leaders! Handle with care. Brittle materials inside.