WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 316 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 26.4 C -4.5 C Wednesday, January 13, 2021 | 29-09-2077 Dipayal Jumla ANALYSIS Has Oli killed two birds with one stone —or two interviews for that matter He has earned praise for a nationalist stance, but some say he managed to distract Nepalis from ongoing crisis while sending a message to Delhi he is ready to play along. ANIL GIRI that he was referring to some Indian KATHMANDU, JAN 12 elements and quarters. In response to a question regarding Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, whose his statement that “Indian virus was contempt for the Nepali media has more lethal than the Chinese one”, Oli been no secret, on Monday evening said he was referring to the open bor- appeared on two Indian news chan- der between Nepal and India, which nels, giving extensive interviews. allowed the coronavirus more easily The WION (World is One News) chan- into Nepal. nel anchor, during an introductory Responding to the Chinese activism remark, said that Oli had agreed for a in Nepal recently and after the split in 30-minute interview but “spoke for 100”. his Nepal Communist Party, Oli said The same evening, Oli spoke with that “‘we love our independence… Zee News—in Hindi—for about 45 freedom... we do not follow instruc- minutes. tions by others… we independently Both news channels are under the decide on our matters”. Zee Group. In his interview with Zee News, Oli POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN The grandstanding, in both inter- was even more candid, going at length A flash mob of women protests with placards during an event organised against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve the House on the Nepal Academy premises at Kamaladi, views, from Oli was in full display. to talk about history, religion and colo- Kathmandu on Tuesday. At the programme attended by civil society members and the general public, poems, plays and paintings were presented to oppose what they called a regressive move. Nepalis on social media on Tuesday nialism, while asserting that in today’s morning were quick to react, pointing world order “no one is a big brother”. at the confidence Oli exuded and how Oli did override the anchor’s conde- he responded in a befitting manner to scending style to put forth his points, the channels—and for that matter earning praise from many Nepalis for India. his preparation for the interview. Nepal Communist Party has been cleaved in two, but a “The year 2021 will be a year when Some described Oli’s fluency in we can declare that between Nepal Hindi as “waxing eloquent”, while oth- and India, there are no problems at ers said even though they do not agree all,” said Oli. with many of his policies, his firm formal—legal—split seems to be heading to stalemate Oli minced no words in saying stand on nationalism deserved praise. that Kalapani, Lipulkekh and Oli, who has been under attack for Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal and his move of dissolving the House of The Election Commission says neither the Oli faction nor the Dahal-Nepal camp has presented the necessary that “that’s the only small problem” Representatives, suddenly on Tuesday between Nepal and India. emerged as a true nationalist leader paperwork for it to be recognised as the legitimate party. And neither seems to want to take the blame for split. He said that Nepal and India ties are who can “stand up to India” and pres- “very good”. ent his views explicitly “even if it PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA After Prime Minister KP Sharma neither has the faction led by Oli made The Dahal-Nepal faction, on the “Far better than before,” said Oli. comes to India”. KATHMANDU, JAN 12 Oli recommended the dissolution of any claim for legitimacy by following other hand, declared Madhav Kumar To the question “before when?”, Oli The interviews received more the House of Representatives on the due procedure. “Nobody has Nepal as a party chair and informed was prompt to say: “always.” attention also because relations with The Nepal Communist Party has been December 20, the two factions of the claimed the legitimacy arguing that the Election Commission that Oli had Asked about his statement that the India during Oli’s tenure had hit a practically cleaved in two—but techni- party—one led by Oli and the other by they are splitting,” said Chief Election been removed. Indian embassy was trying to unseat rock bottom. cally, it is still one. Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya. “So Even these decisions of the two fac- him, Oli said that he did not say so and >> Continued on page 2 It is the Election Commission that Kumar Nepal—have been claiming far both sides have only claimed that tions have not been recognised by the has the final say on a political party that theirs is the legitimate party. certain leaders have been removed Election Commission, arguing that splitting up based on its interpreta- Both factions have been given the from certain responsibilities.” decisions taken by both factions have tion of Political Parties Act-2017. But deadline of Wednesday, to stake their Two days after the House was dis- not followed due procedure as provi- the commission says the law has not claim to legitimacy with the necessary solved, both the factions on December sioned in the statute of the party. been followed for a formal split. paperwork. As per Section 44 (1) of the 22 held meetings of the Central On January 7, the commission Political Parties Act-2017, the faction Committee of their factions. reminded the Oli faction that its that claims to be the legitimate Instead of making claims for legiti- expansion of the central committee one must substantiate the claim macy by following the due procedure, goes against the party’s statute which with, among other things, signa- both factions submitted the details of allows the party’s Central Committee tures of at least 40 percent of the the decisions taken by the party’s to nominate a maximum of 10 percent members of the Central ‘Central Committee’ meetings without of its total strength as new members. Committee within 30 days of the the presence of the leaders from the Before the present dispute arose, its dispute in the party. other faction. Central Committee had 445 members. Even though the Dahal-Nepal The Oli faction soon after the disso- If the party is to nominate more faction wrote to the commission lution announcement informed the members to its Central Committee the demanding legitimacy of repre- Election Commission that the Central party statute has to be amended and senting the party, the commis- Committee had been expanded and that can only be done with a two- sion has said that it failed to fol- now had 1,199 members, adding 556 thirds majority of the Central low the due procedure. members and with the provision of Committee. PHOTO COURTESY: WION WEBSITE According to the commission, adding another 197 more in future. >> Continued on page 2 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in an interview with WION news channel. C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Has Oli killed two birds with one stone ... Cold weather affects life in >> Continued from page 1 Independence Day. Affairs, said that “we have noted the After a flurry of visits from Delhi— Officials and leaders familiar with recent political developments in of the foreign spy chief, the Indian the development had told the Post Nepal”. army chief and foreign secretary, ties then that multiple backchannels had “These are internal matters for seem to be back on track. been used to materialise a phone con- Nepal to decide as per its democratic several Tarai districts Oli returned to power in 2018 riding versation between Oli and Indian processes,” added Srivastava. “As a on a nationalistic plank. His Nepal Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The neighbour and well-wisher, India will Daily wage earners, children and senior citizens are hardest hit. Communist Party’s unprecedented official release said Oli congratulated continue to support Nepal and its peo- engagements with the Communist Modi, India and its people on their ple in moving forward on the path of LUMBINI PROVINCE BUREAU Party of China were not hidden to Independence Day. peace, prosperity and development.” BHAIRAHAWA, JAN 12 Delhi. When his Nepal Communist According to multiple sources, both Oli’s interviews attracted huge Party faced a crisis, Beijing had overt- sides had activated various channels attention in Nepal, and there was more Tulasa Chaudhary, 56, of Butwal Sub- ly tried to fix things up. But Oli caught to establish informal dialogue. Talks praise than criticism, if social media metropolitan City Ward No. 17 in Beijing by surprise by dissolving the at the formal level began in October responses were anything to go by. Rupandehi has been housebound for House on December 20, resulting in when Samant Goel, the chief of “PM Oli gave quite befitting answers the past four days due to a plunge in the split in the Nepal Communist India’s Research & Analysis Wing, to the “prejudiced” questions asked by temperatures. A vegetable seller, she Party. made a dash for Kathmandu and held Zee TV journalist,” Surya Raj moves around the city selling the pro- Many say Beijing felt betrayed, as a meeting with Oli. In November, Acharya, an infrastructure expert and duce from her field.