CPN (UML) Deputy General Secretary Prithvi Subba Gurung is considered a leader who keeps his point clear with a critical mind. To some extent, he does not even hesitate to criticize powerful KP Sharma Oli, the chairman of UML.
"Chairman, you are our leader but not God, you also make mistakes," a central member of the UML quoted Gurung as saying, "otherwise, the rest of the leaders would not dare speak directly in front of the chairman. The same thing happens in the central committee meeting."
Despite publicly criticizing the chairman, Gurung has been helping Oli during the crisis. He has been with Oli since the seventh general convention held in Janakpur and he is also the only high-level leader representing the tribal community within the UML after the death of Subas Nembang.
Gurung, who has been the chief minister of Gandaki, submitted his claim to the general secretary in the initiative of the 10th convention held last year. However, he was given the post of deputy general secretary.
Instead, Gurung is close to Vice Chairman Bishnu Paudel. Although they are not in a position to challenge Oli, General Secretary Pokharel and Vice Chairman Paudel have their own factions. Sometimes, the rivalry between the two factions comes to the surface. Even during the current provincial convention, factional fighting was evident. In the home provinces of Lumbini and Karnali, leaders from parties other than the Pokharel faction have been elected as presidents.
Pokharel, who got the chairmanship of his faction in Bagmati with great difficulty, is currently focusing on Gandaki. He not only wants the leadership in Gandaki province that suits him, he also wants to dominate Deputy Secretary General Gurung through this election. For that, he has been staying in Pokhara for a few days and making strategic moves.
Standing committee member Khagaraj Adhikari is leading his campaign implementation level. Gurung and Adhikari have their own factions in Gandaki.
Especially, till a few years ago the influence of the Adhikari was limited to Kaski only. Many Kaski leaders complained that they were deprived of opportunities due to their divisiveness. When Gurung became the Chief Minister and started living in Pokhara, the dissatisfied group started to consider Gurung as their leader.
After defeating Adhikari's preferred candidate, he made Man Bahadur Gurung, who is close to him, the chairman of Kaski, and increased his role to Pokhara City Committee. That made Adhikari even angrier. He started to gain power and chose the General Secretary Pokharel faction at the center and through him campaigned to become powerful in Gandaki.
Adhikari have taken the ongoing Gandaki state convention as an important opportunity to gain power. In order to weaken Gurung, he has promoted Mayanath Adhikari, the leader of his own district, as the chairman, and he has also made the youth leader Rashmi Acharya, central member Rajeev Pahari, Gobinda Bahadur Nepali, who were previously in the Gurung camp, close to him.
Along with promoting Rashmi as Gandaki's secretary, he is also seeking the support of Central Secretary Padma Aryal and another senior leader Kiran Gurung. Sources said that the general secretary Pokharel is active in arranging this arrangement.
Everything has progressed according to Shankar Comrade's plan. This time, preparations have also been made to bring independent leaders under the leadership of Gandaki. We now have 60 percent representation. When Secretary Comrade and Kiran Comrade give the green signal, it will reach 80 percent,” claimed a leader close to Khagraj Adhikari.
Mayanath Adhikari, who is running for the presidency, himself says that he has the support of 60 percent of the representatives. A total of 907 representatives have been elected from 11 districts for the first session of Gandaki. The leader also said that General Secretary Pokharel is trying to influence other leaders including the district president.
On the other hand, the Gurung faction is campaigning with the message that losing the leader of their party means turning the party into a bhajanmandali (henchmen). Leaders close to him claim that when the party was unified, those who have a critical mind and the youth, are with Gurung.
However, the competition is certain. The truth is, now Gurung has been abandoned by his former allies. Leaders have joined the Adhikari group. We have to wait for the election itself for the results.
