While there is a shortage of leaders who hold different views within the UML, some women leaders have been boldly expressing their opinions against some decisions. Maleki leader Vidya Bhattarai resigned as education minister on May 8 due to discomfort in working.

Most of the UML leaders commented that Bhattarai had resigned while the teachers' movement was going on and had 'run away from the field'. But some women leaders, including vice president Ashtalakshmi Shakya, commented that she had "raised her moral strength" by resigning. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed his displeasure at the Secretariat meeting on Sunday regarding Vice President Shakya's statement. Asserting that Bhattarai is not troubled as Shakya wrote in his social media status, Oli said, "He has resigned because he is unable to work." In the meeting, Shakya said that she had made public her opinion that the outgoing education minister was honest and qualified. Conversation with Unai Shakya :

Did you raise a question within the party about the reason for leader Vidya Bhattarai's resignation as Education Minister? 

, I have now questioned why Vidya had to resign from social media. I put the same thing in the secretariat meeting on Sunday. I respectfully put my words before the President and the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also listened to me. We must dare to speak our words in the party. 

But there seems to be a shortage of leaders who hold different views within the UML?

requires cordiality within the party, not factionalism. Our main thing is the idea. You should have your own opinion. Ideas should not be allowed to be hollow in politics. If there is any dispute, it should be resolved through discussion. We have also said in Mission 084 that there should be more open discussions to strengthen the party.

Some women leaders, including you, had to face criticism when they expressed their opinion in UML, didn't they?

I put what I think is right for debate and discussion. In the past, there used to be disputes in UML, but they were resolved through discussion. There is no need to follow any leader in the party, ideas should lead the party. Organizational discipline should be maintained. Pushpalal Shrestha, the founder of CPN, said that where the idea is weak, there is factionalism.

Has the UML leadership become unable to tolerate criticism? There is no dispute that there should be healthy criticism within the

party. If there is no criticism, the Communist Party will not be formed. Unable to tolerate different opinions and criticism, many communist parties have broken up. Party leadership should be patient. You have to listen to many criticisms. The heart should be broad. It should not be said that as soon as you put something different in the party, it went against you. Everyone should dare to say what they think within the party.