KATHMANDU, Sept 2: A fresh dispute has shot up over whether to include the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) as an achievement in the white paper which the UCPN (Maoist) is set to promulgate prior to the forthcoming election. Maoist leader Narayankaji Shrestha took a strong exception to senior party leader Baburam Bhattarai’s proposal to incorporate it as an achievement in the white paper.
“The party leaders who have returned after conducting an electoral assessment campaign in 240 constituencies have questioned BIPPA. Our party has already endorsed it and suggested that it be mentioned as the feat made during the UCPN (Maoist)-led government,” said an interlocutor citing Bhattarai. While Shrestha, expressing serious objections to Bhattarai´s demand, argued that the general convention had called a plenum to strike a deal on this issue. [break]
Leader Bhattarai said that he would not take part in the election if the BIPPA was not included as an achievement in the white paper while Shrestha left the place stating that he also would not fight the election if it was termed as an achievement in the white paper.
According to a source privy to the meeting, former Vice Chairman Shrestha had expressed his disagreements over the formation of Madhes bureau, determination of the constituency he would fight the election from and the BIPPA.