Will Madhav Kumar Nepal garner support of the Far-Western MPs?

Dhangadhi: UML Vice-Chairman Bhim Rawal has a strong influence in the Far West. Bhim Rawal and Sher Bahadur Deuba, who had been supporting Madhav Kumar Nepal since the past, seems to be neutral since Deuba was appointed as the Prime Minister.

There are rumours that he no longer supports Nepal. Rawal also did not support the registration of the new party of the Nepal group, the CPN-UML (Socialist). It is being assessed that Madhav Nepal has failed to get the support of the members of the Far-Western Provincial Assembly due to the departure of Vice-Chairman Rawal.

Most of the state MPs are seen preparing to move forward as per the decision taken by Rawal. Leader Rawal told Dinesh Khabar that most of the state parliamentarians are silent now as they have not decided whether to stay in the UML or to join Rawal. "Our leader is Bhim Rawal," he said.

At present, only two out of 25 MPs from the far-western states are in the central committee of the UML group's socialist party. Only Internal Affairs and Law Minister Purna Joshi and former Forest Minister Maya Bhatt are on the central committee. In the past, there were 18 state MPs in the Madhav group and seven in the Oli group.

Only Pathan Singh Bohara, Liladhar Bhatt, Gelbusing Bohara, Ratan Thapa, Maya Tama Bohara, Nepalu Chaudhary and Baldev Regmi were on Oli's side while 18 MPs, including four from the current cabinet, were on Nepal's side. But other ministers besides Minister Joshi have not supported the UML split.

Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Prakash Bahadur Shah, Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Dirgha Bahadur Sodari and Minister for Social Development Lal Bahadur Khadka have indicated that they will remain in the UML immediately.

The ordinance on the division of political parties has given the facility to the state parliamentarians and local level people's representatives to choose the party within 21 days. Only after 21 days will it be decided who will remain in the UML and who will join the UML Socialist Party.