July 04, Kathmandu.
The four-decade-long relationship between CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal may not have been as strained as it is now. As the relationship between these two leaders is also a political 'course changer', the decisions, expressions and stance of KP and Madhav are in the common interest.
Because the UML's agreement and disagreement also mean determining a possible political scenario. But looking at the recent situation, it is not easy for the UML to get along, nor to be divided.
It is not easy to normalize relations after listening to Prime Minister Oli's latest remarks. Oli has warned that the UML lawmakers will not stay in the party until the Supreme Court rules on the dissolution of the House of Representatives.
Madhav Nepal, on the other hand, had requested to adjourn the meeting of the Central Committee till the verdict of the court. Nepal said, "The signature will not be returned. Let's make the task force activities to end the unity."
But Oli did not stop the meeting but issued a warning against the Nepal group. "Until the issue is decided, the CPN-UML will form an alternative government led by the main opposition. Those who remain are not party workers," Oli warned.
Oli had given an ultimatum till 5 pm on Monday to withdraw the signature from the Baluwatar meeting on Friday. But the Madhav group is not in favour of not withdrawing the signature.
Crisis in relationship
A year ago, Madhav Nepal has been giving a stern statement to KP Oli. In July last year, Leader Nepal said, "A person who thinks that he is the state will surely fall." But according to that prophecy, Oli has not fallen, nor has the quarrel between them ended. Instead, the relationship between the two leaders is moving forward out of the crisis.
There has been a fierce war of words against each other. The destiny of presenting each other as 'class enemies in their own language has not been broken. But, they are together at the same party.
Cooperation in the Mahakali Treaty
Looking at history, there is not only conflict between KP and Madhav, but also greedy cooperation. Until the sixth general convention, there were no problems with each other, they were comrades-in-arms. At that time, Madhav and Oli had faced the differences of established leadership groups like CP Mainali, Vamdev Gautam, RK Mainali and Sahna Pradhan.
When Oli and Nepal met, the UML's powerful weapon like the 'Mahakali Treaty of Bamdev Gautam's party failed on the ground of the sixth general convention. While the UML was sympathetic to the minority side of Manmohan Adhikari, also known as Bhishmapitamah.
Fourteen leaders, including Bamdev Gautam, boycotted the convention hall in Nepalgunj and marched towards Chisapani. Only then did the UML dispute escalate. After returning to Kathmandu, most attempts to settle the dispute failed. The action was taken against the Left party against the wishes of Manmohan Adhikari.
Madhav used to reply to Manmohan, 'I have the same thought, but KP does not agree. I can't leave him now. ' After the action, 14 leaders like Bamdev, CP, RK, Sahna and Ashok Rai formed the CPN (ML). Nepal, which has abandoned Manmohan's wishes and sided with Oli, is now in an opposition alliance.
That attack of Mal
"Koshi was sold by Matrika, Gandaki was sold by BP, Mahakali was sold by Madhav-KP." This slogan was used by the leaders and activists of Mal मा at that time to paint the walls all over the country.
Leaders Ghanshyam Bhusal, Yogesh Bhattarai and the late Rabindra Adhikari were in the same campaign. Ghanshyam Bhusal, Narayan Dhakal, Hari Roka, Yogesh Bhattarai and other youths made public the booklet '101 Crimes of UML'.
At that time, Oli-Nepal was also linked to the 'Dasdhunga scandal' and a political attack was carried out. Oli-Nepal had faced such a serious and hostile inter-conflict together.
Oli with Nepal
Oli came to Kathmandu after 14 years of imprisonment. Oli, who used to take shelter in a friend's house for a few days, found it difficult to stay in Kathmandu and do politics. In such a situation, Madhav helped KP to stay in Kathmandu and create an environment where he could remain active in politics.
Madhav had tried to save KP Oli, who was attached to Jhapa Vridoh, even during the Panchayat period. In an interview, Madhav Nepal said that Lami played a role in marrying KP's Radhika Shakya, who has been in jail for a long time. Radhika was then a member of the Lalitpur District Committee.
After 2046 BS, when the Central Committee of Mal मा became public, KP was only in the Central Committee. Madhav Nepal, the founder of UML Dhar Nirman, was a member of the Politburo. At that time, only Madan Bhandari, Jivraj Asrit, Madhav Nepal, Jhala Nath Khanal and CP Mainali were in the Politburo of CPN-Malay. After the establishment of the multi-party system, Oli became the president of the Democratic National Youth Association. Oli, who has been in jail for a long time, was in the news even though he was down the stairs.
Damage of 2056
Oli-Nepal cooperation was the same till the 2056 general election. Oli-Nepal on the one hand, and Bamdev-CP-RK polarization on the other, UML lost the opportunity to win a majority in the 2056 general election.
It has some background. After the death of Madan-Ashrita, the Oli-Nepal alliance became stronger and more powerful. In the nine-month government of 2051 BS, Madhav Nepal became the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Palace. Whereas before that it was the practice of the Prime Minister to take over the Ministry of Defense. Oli became Home Minister.
Struggling in a relationship
Oli-Nepal relations began to cool around the 7th General Convention. Oli, who provided unconditional support to the Sixth General Convention, had expected Nepal's support in the seventh General Convention. But Oli's expectation was not fulfilled. Madhav Nepal did not seem ready to give UML leadership to Oli even till the eighth general convention.
Oli's initial frustration with never seeing himself qualified for the party's core leadership gradually turned to anger. The hopes of the 7th General Convention turned to despair while in the 8th General Convention, Nepal put forward Jhala Nath Khanal as an alternative to Oli.
This ego of non-cooperation was simmering inside Oli. Oli planned to take compensation for the betrayal and mistrust found in the history of the Ninth General Convention. Oli assured Khanal of the presidency. He also took Bamdev Gautam into confidence saying that he would leave the post after becoming the Prime Minister. Thus he seemed smarter in faction equations and mathematical games than Madhav.
KP Oli succeeded in running a faction within the party. He was able to protect the cadres by mobilizing resources. He continued to gain power by using the Madan Bhandari Foundation as a parallel party organization. When the advice did not lead, he looked for an alternative way to take the lead. Faith breeds faith. Disbelief is disbelief. Oli did what he had learned from Madhav Nepal.
How did the long-running Oli-Nepal relationship turn into such animosity? At first, Madhav did not believe Oli. In response, Oli did the same, lied to Jhalanath, lied to Vamdev. The agreement with Prachanda was not faithfully followed.
Now that the UML dispute has reached such a level, it does not seem to end in a general agreement. Because Oli-Nepal 'love-hate' relationship is flourishing in the UML dispute. Communists interpret and believe in internal conflict as unity, struggle, and transformation. However, given the hostile nature of the UML dispute, there are growing fears that it will lead to conflict, struggle and division again.
