Oli’s autocratic bent

With the UML chair muzzling criticism in his party, it is hard to believe he is committed to democratic values.

By trying to silence his critics in the party, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also chairman of the CPN-UML, has again shown his autocratic character. A central secretariat meeting of the party that Oli chaired on October 20 decided to seek clarification from the party’s standing committee member Binda Pandey, central committee member Ushakiran Timsena, and former vice-chair Bhim Rawal for “speaking against the party’s interest”. Their crime? Criticising the chair’s decision to accept donation from a controversial businessman. Min Bahadur Gurung, owner of the largest retail chain in Nepal, the Bhatbhateni Supermarket, had just provided land and announced plans to build a sophisticated office building for the communist party. This didn’t sit well with some UML leaders as Gurung is someone against whom multiple corruption and forgery cases are sub-judice in the court.