UML Task Force Meeting Uncertain, Report Draft Stalled

Kathmandu. The UML task force meeting, formed to provide suggestions for party restructuring including election review led by Vice Chairman Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’, has become uncertain. The task force’s report draft has been left in limbo as the meeting could not be held. The task force had completed its suggestion collection work from Kathmandu on Jestha 30, and it concluded on Ashar 23. Subsequently, the task force meeting held on Ashar 25 had assigned the responsibility of preparing the report to coordinator Thapa and member secretary Shankar Pokharel. As per the task force’s decision, member secretary Pokharel had completed the draft writing of the report in the first week of Shrawan and given it to coordinator Thapa for review. According to sources, Thapa had studied the draft cursorily and it was agreed to finalize the report by holding a task force meeting immediately. However, even though three weeks have passed since the coordinator Thapa received the draft, he has not shown any interest in calling a task force meeting to finalize the draft. Instead, Thapa has taken the draft to Gundu, saying it is for Chairman KP Sharma Oli to study. This has raised questions about the autonomy of the task force, according to a member of the task force. ‘The report needs to be finalized by calling a task force meeting, but the coordinator has not shown interest’, said a task force member, ‘Although the deadline set for the task force formation was within one month, procrastination has been happening even after two months have passed.’ According to that member, the question has arisen whether the report itself will be left in limbo as the task force meeting has become uncertain. ‘The report seems to be in limbo as the task force meeting is uncertain. The General Secretary prepared the report draft and submitted it to the coordinator. But, the coordinator has not called a meeting after reviewing it’, that member told Ratopati, ‘Everyone says that the meeting should be called soon and the task force report should be brought to discussion.’ UML Secretary and task force member Dr. Rajan Bhattarai said that he has no information about the date of the task force meeting. ‘There has been no information about the meeting so far’, said Bhattarai.