“We are currently working to accommodate them (hardliners). We need more time to persuade them,” said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha. [break]
The Baidya faction has publicly announced a boycott of the meeting until the chairman implements the decisions of the last central committee meeting to dissolve the government and formulate a mass mobilizing program for a "pro-people constitution." The meeting was originally slated for Sunday and was postponed to Monday.
According to party leaders, Chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal is trying his level best to persuade Baidya and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa to agree to reconciliation.
Netra Bikram Chand, another influential leader from the hardline camp who is currently on a visit to western Nepal, has also been asked to return to Kathmandu as soon as possible.
The hardliners have, meanwhile, accused the embattled party chairman of plotting to split Thapa away from the hardline camp and weaken it. “Otherwise, there is no point in seeking common ground. We have already parted ways,” said a leader close to Baidya.
In a move to consolidate their base in the party, the hardliners are currently frequenting the districts to form parallel committees and organize the party cadres. Party Secretary CP Gajurel, a key leader in the hardline faction, is currently in eastern Nepal lining up the cadres against the party establishment, while Chand is also busy training cadres and attending various functions.
On Monday, Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma, another influential leader from the hardline camp, left for eastern Nepal. Dev Gurung, also a hardline leader, returned to Kathmandu Sunday after attending functions of his faction in Pokhara.
According to sources, the fringe leftist leaders who forged an alliance with the Baidya faction, have also been mobilized to agitate for a “people´s constitution” and dissolution of the “anti-national” government.
Meanwhile, General Secretary Thapa on Monday informed a group of journalists that he is holding talks with the chairman to formulate common political programs and save party unity.
“We are holding talks with him on implementing common programs. We are concerned over the conspiracy against the forward-looking changes and state restructuring under the new constitution,” a participant quoted Thapa as telling the journalists during a training program.
Dahal´s, Bhattarai´s deviations reaching climax: Chand
Meanwhile, Netra Bikram Chand, an influential hardliner, told journalists in Dhangadhi on Monday that his faction will lead a people´s revolt for a "pro-people" constitution in wake of the establishment faction being deviated from the party´s revolutionary goals.
"The Nepal Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Bauram Bhattarai are deviating from framing a pro-people constitution. The day they completely deviate, people will launch a revolt. We will take charge of the revolt," Chand said.
When asked when his faction will lead the revolt, he said the process of deviating is reaching its "climax" and that there could be a revolt any day.
"There was a political consensus among parties to frame a constitution more progressive than that of 1990. But that is not happening as Dahal and Bhattarai are bowing to the pressure from the NC and UML," he said adding that the prospect of framing a pro-people constitution, people process and the national sovereignty have fallen into crisis.
He also accused Dahal of violating the party statute to call the meeting of the central committee. "It is a meeting of a faction, not of the whole party. Only the party general secretary has the right to call a meeting of the central committee," he said.
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National Unity and Reconciliation Day being observed today
