KATHMANDU, July 19: UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said CPN-Maoist, which has remained opposed to the Constituent Assembly elections, can’t ‘run away’ from the polls scheduled for November 19, later this year.
Dahal said this while inaugurating the party’s extended meet of the central committee at the Khanna Garment in Lalitpur on Friday afternoon. Saying that some 15,000 combatants lost their life during the insurgency, Dahal said the Baidya-led party should take part in the CA elections, a phenomenon emerged after the Maoists came to mainstream politics. [break]
Dahal had had talks with Baidya ahead of the meeting, earlier in the morning. He also said the relevance of the 12-point peace accord has not ended yet. “There is a need of a new understanding from a new level among those who are parties to the 12-poing pact,” said Dahal.
Also party leaders, including Baburam Bhattarai and Narayankaji Shrestha, aired their views at the inaugural session. The closed session of the extended meeting is commencing shortly. A total of 500 party leaders from across the country are taking part in the meet.
Addressing the meet, Dahal has proposed a ´special´ organizational convention continuing only with the post of party chairman until the forthcoming Constituent Assembly elections.
"The chairman has proposed to continue with the position of chairman only and divide party works focusing on the upcoming elections, for now," a source said, "and hold the organizational convention after the elections."
In his address, Dahal urged the office bearers, central committee members and other leaders to reject the resignation of Dr Baburam Bhattarai as a party vice-chairman.
All photos by Bijay Rai/ Republica
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