As the 11th UML General Convention approaches, Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Senior Vice President Ishwor Pokharel, who are preparing for a competition for the main leadership, have been exchanging accusations with each other. Oli is trying to preserve the old legacy in the general convention that begins on Saturday, while Pokharel is trying to break it.

Pokharel, who has filed his candidacy in support of former President Bidya Bhandari, is preparing to form a panel against the establishment and compete for leadership. Oli and Pokharel, who came face to face before the general convention began, have now publicly launched into accusations and counter-accusations. 

Pokharel mentioned the incident in the Gen-G movement and insisted that Chairman Oli, as the then head of the government, should take full responsibility for it, and Oli has also launched a counter-accusation. Oli has openly accused Pokharel of colluding with the current government. While Oli was calling the commission formed to investigate the incidents of 23 and 24 Bhadra as illegal, Senior Vice President Pokharel had advised Chairman Oli to go to the commission to give a statement.

‘It is natural to go to the commission formed by the government to give a statement, if I were him, I would have gone ahead and given a statement. However, there are questions about the impartiality of the commission,’ Pokharel had said at a program last Wednesday, ‘The chairman should go to the commission to give a statement, he will go. It should not be considered otherwise.' He had said that it was not inappropriate to express his opinion about the truth of the incident even though he had raised questions about the commission.

On Thursday, Chairman Oli also reiterated that he would not give a statement to the inquiry commission formed to investigate the incidents of 23 and 24 Bhadra. Commenting that the government itself is unconstitutional, Oli said that he would also reject its activities.

'I do not know why the Vice Chairman (Pokharel) was not able to give a statement. It is my business whether to give a statement or not. I also know the legal matters. I know that I will be punished for it,' Oli was angry, 'Prime Minister (Sushila) Karki's intention and the desire of Senior Vice Chairman (Pokharel) and his friends are the same.'

Oli said that he would not give up the chairmanship if he was asked to do so because he could not compete. 'You can run a marathon not three times, but seven times and win a gold medal. "If you can, run," he said sarcastically to Pokharel, "You can't run, you won't play if you quit?" Oli said that he would "quit playing the game" when the time came, and said that he had served two terms in the party leadership because he could play now. Amid accusations of adopting an autocratic style within the UML, Oli claimed that he had started democratic practices within the party even before the ninth general convention of 2071. "I started democratic practices within the party. I put pressure on others to democratize party life," he said.

Oli's side said that even though it was open to competition, it should be accepted after defeat. "If I, anyone or a senior vice president, anyone wants to compete in the election, how many cadres would like me? How many would vote for me? They must have come after calculating," Deputy Secretary General Bishnu Rimal said, "If I am defeated, there will be no democracy in the party, internal democracy will decline, and if I win, it will be wonderful." 

Leader Yogesh Bhattarai, who came out in favor of Pokharel, said that the internal competition of the party should be made clean and dignified. ‘Internal competition should be made clean and dignified. We expect the same from the chairman, comrades and people close to him. What kind of schooling we do is important,’ he added, ‘We should teach language, civilization, and working style. Everyone should pay attention to making the competition dignified.’

He said that he has entered the competition for the reorganization, purification, and revival of the UML within the party. ‘Our issue is to move forward with new ideas, working styles, and behavior,’ he said, ‘The party is to be reorganized in a comprehensive and multidimensional manner. The party is to turn towards the people. Our goal is to listen to the people and organize the people.’

Pokharel has already said that he is ready to accept the results even if he competes for the chairman. ‘Even if I compete for the chairman, I am ready to accept the results,’ he said. The Pokharel faction has also raised the issue of Bhim Rawal, who was competing for the presidency in the 10th general convention, being forced to leave the party.