Dismayed at Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s “monopoly” over the party and the government, the rival camp led by CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has begun a nationwide campaign to “promote internal democracy”.

“The prime minister has not called a single meeting of the central committee since the earthquake. It has eroded intra-party democracy,” said UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai.

More than 300 central leaders, who are yet to be assigned their roles, launched the campaign to press Oli. The UML chairman has delayed the formation the party departments one-and-a-half years after being elected to the party helm.

Senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal, who had stayed neutral during the general convention, inaugurated the campaign in Kathmandu saying that “genuine discussions” were needed over party policies. No leader from the Oli camp had been invited to present their views. “We have failed to hold adequate discussion over the party policies since the general convention,” said Khanal.

The rival faction is miffed at PM Oli after the latter appointed ministers and Parliamentary Party office bearers without consultation in the party. Oli’s rivals in the party also accuse him of making “populist” speeches instead of working sincerely to ease public hardships resulting from the blockade.

At the programme organised by the Madan Bhandari Study Centre, party Secretary Bhattarai said the UML’s guiding principle, People’s Multi-party Democracy, was not followed after Oli’s election.

“We see a wide gap between the PM’s announcements and action. If we fail to translate our commitment into action while leading the government, we will lose our credibility,” UML leader Lalbabu Pandit warned.