CPN-UML Standing Committee member Ghanashyam Bhusal has announced that he has quit the party.

He has said he couldn’t stay in the party any longer as he saw no possibility of reestablishing principles and system in the party and drew a conclusion that he couldn’t be sincere to the movement and himself under the present leadership.

“Now the party has been held hostage by comrade KP Sharma Oli’s arrogance and arbitrary rules. It is known for all that despite facing disrespect and discrimination within the party I struggled hard with a hope and belief that we can revive the glory of the UML some day,” he said on a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon.

He has claimed that the party was misled since Oli became the party chair.

Though there are rumours of Bhusal joining CPN (Maoist Centre) or contesting upcoming election as an independent candidate from his home district Rupandehi, he hasn’t indicated anything in this connection in his announcement made public through Facebook on Saturday.

Bhusal, who was elected as a lawmaker from Rupandehi-3 in the 2017 elections, was this time denied election ticket by party chair Oli.

He contested for the post of party’s vice-chair in its general convention a year ago but lost the election.

Previously he was elected as UML’s deputy general secretary.

He also served as minister for agriculture and livestock in the Oli-led cabinet and minister for prime minister’s office in a government led by Jhalanath Khanal.