By Lalit Basel
Surkhet, Oct. 13: The internal conflict in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in Karnali has escalated further.
On Monday, Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, who is also the leader of the NCP State Assembly party, removed chief whip Gulab Jung Shah from his position.
Sending a letter, Chief Minister Shahi informed Shah that he had been relieved of his responsibilities because he had not been able to work satisfactorily.
“You have not been able to demonstrate a satisfactory performance in accordance with your appointment as the chief whip of the party. Therefore, with thanks for the work you have done till date, I have relieved you from the post,” read the letter.
The information has also been conveyed to NCP’s Karnali State Committee and the central office as well as to the secretariat of the Karnali State Assembly.
The development comes a day after 18 lawmakers from his own party registered a motion of no-confidence against Shahi, accusing him of failing to deliver on his promises.
Following his dismissal, Shah claimed that since lawmakers had expressed a lack of confidence in Shahi, he could not remove him from his post.
A meeting of the State Assembly party has been called for Tuesday and Shah said that he would move ahead by passing a resolution to remove Chief Minister Shahi from the leadership of the Assembly party.
With regards to the accusation of unsatisfactory performance, Shah remarked, “The accusation is motivated by anger that has been directed at me for registering the no-confidence motion.”
Meanwhile, Sita Kumari Nepali has been appointed new chief whip.
In a separate letter, Chief Minister Shahi appointed Nepali as the chief whip with the belief that she would work in the interest of the party and Nepali, too, has expressed her commitment to shoulder the new responsibility successfully. “The whip’s work is to coordinate between the Chief Minister, government, State Assembly and the party and I shall fulfil all the responsibilities delegated to me by the leader of the State Assembly party,” she said.
Nepali also said that she would convene a meeting of the State Assembly party within 15 days and hold discussions.