Bam Dev Gautam quits CPN-UML

KATHMANDU: The main opposition CPN-UML Vice-Chairman Bam Dev Gautam quit the party on Friday.

He reached the party central office in Thapathali this evening and resigned from all the posts of UML.

He submitted his resignation letter to central office secretary Sher Bahadur Tamang, Gautam’s personal secretary Deepak Tamata said.

Gautam, who was elected as the Vice-Chairman from the ninth general convention of the CPN-UML, became the Vice-Chairman even after the unification of the party with the CPN-Maoist Centre.

Gautam, who attended some of the meetings after the revival of the UML, had announced to join a new party after Madhav Nepal split the UML.

But, he sought explanation from Nepal after the CPN (Unified Socialist) decided not to follow the people’s multiparty democracy.

Though he quit the party, he has not made public his future plans.

Gautam, who split the UML in 1997 and formed the CPN-ML, left the UML again after 25 years.

He is a member of the National Assembly and his wife Tulasa Gautam is a member of the House of Representatives.

Leaders close to Gautam have already joined the CPN (Unified Socialist).

Meanwhile, in his resignation letter, he has levelled various allegations against party Chairman KP Sharma Oli.

Gautam said that he decided to quit the party due to Oli’s negative attitude, character and style.

After being elected as the party Chairman, he never followed the political guideline endorsed by the ninth general convention of the party, he said.

“You have never been able to improve yourself even the Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court scrapped some of your decisions claiming them unconstitutional,” he said.

Gautam also accused Oli of adopting a more authoritarian style by insulting and expelling colleagues from the party.