Pokharel's party is using the strategy of playing on the discontent within the establishment party to win the election, while the establishment party is luring disgruntled leaders.
What you should know
UML leadership, Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Senior Vice President Ishwor Pokharel have put forward their respective strategies to win the election. Both sides are trying to win the election by playing on each other's contradictions and weaknesses.
Voting is underway for the leadership selection on Tuesday afternoon. Chairman Oli has moved forward to take the leadership for a third term. Pokharel, with the support of former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, has challenged Oli. The Pokharel group is excited after dissatisfaction with the issue of office bearers on the establishment side has increased.
After Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, who is aspiring for the post of General Secretary, refused to nominate a candidate for the post of Vice President, the Pokharel faction has put forward this as a strategy to win the election. Similarly, Lalbabu Pandit, who has been supporting Oli, has also nominated a separate candidacy after not falling within the quota. Bhim Acharya has also filed a separate nomination for the post of Secretary.
The Pokharel faction has become active in incorporating the dissatisfaction arising within the establishment and turning the result in its favor. Gyawali Although he is a contender for the post of General Secretary, Shankar Pokharel has expressed strong dissatisfaction as Oli has repeated Shankar Pokharel and has filed his candidacy only for the post of Central Member. Another contender for the post of General Secretary, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has settled for the post of Vice President. He had been saying that Shankar Pokharel should not be the general secretary again.
The dissatisfaction seen within the Oli faction is seen as a 'strength' for the Pokharel group. But Gyawali issued an appeal on Tuesday morning, urging the Oli team to win. Gyawali's statement came after an all-night effort by the establishment. On Monday, he left the Bhriktimandap, the venue of the general convention, in a state of discontent.
Rajendra Gautam, who is also the head of the publicity department, has withdrawn his candidacy from the post of deputy general secretary. He withdrew his candidacy at the request of Oli.
'Even though he cannot be a candidate now, work is being done to remind the leaders to give them an environment and responsibilities to work in the party,' said a senior leader of the establishment faction, 'We have to win to maintain Oli's legacy.'
There is still dissatisfaction within the Oli faction regarding the issue of leader management. Leaders who have not been included in the panel, including the central committee members, have started expressing their dissatisfaction publicly. But the party has claimed that the attack on UML can be countered only if Oli comes under its leadership, and that there should be a strong team under Oli's leadership.
After registering his candidacy, Shankar Pokharel had said that he would strengthen the Oli team by becoming the general secretary candidate to face the challenges of the current politics. But another general secretary candidate, Surendra Pandey, has argued that the country's powerful party can be made only by establishing democracy in party life and strengthening the rules and regulations. Both parties are intensifying their election campaign by putting forward their own issues.
Many leaders who are already in the Oli team are candidates for the posts of vice president, deputy general secretary and secretary, so complaints have also been heard among the representatives that they are not being given new opportunities. Bishnu Poudel, Ram Bahadur Thapa, Guru Baral and general secretary Pokharel have been candidates for the posts of vice president, deputy general secretary and secretary. Bishnu Rimal has been nominated for the posts of vice president.
The Ishwar faction that emerged within the Oli faction is putting forward a new strategy and urging people to vote for it. Saying that Chairman Oli is responsible for the situation that arose after the Gen-G movement and is not accountable for it, he has made it an election issue to take the leadership.
On the other hand, the Oli faction has selected the general convention representatives in a way that ensures a majority in its favor. In most places, the majority of the establishment representatives were chosen unanimously. However, there is a feeling of diversity in the leadership selection among the representatives who are under the leadership of Oli's working style and the leaders close to him. They expect a balanced result as Pokharel's reduction of the faction to zero will have an impact on the party in the coming days. However, the establishment seems to be making every effort to win the Oli team.
In the tenth general convention held in Chitwan, Ishwar Pokharel, Vice President Surendra Pandey, Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai were elected as the senior vice president from the Oli team. In the eleventh general convention, a separate panel including Pandey, Bhattarai and others has been announced under the leadership of Senior Vice President Pokharel. While the issue of internal democratic leadership transfer is being hotly debated within the UML, there has been competition between the establishment and the Oli faction.
