The current general line of the Maoist party is to formulate a progressive constitution through the front of parliament, the government and the streets. [break]
“The current party line is leading us nowhere. A national consensus government has become a distant dream as the party chairman doesn´t want others - acceptable to other political parties -- to become prime minister. So the party should either change the current line or be ready to make another leader prime minister if there is political consensus,” said a top Maoist leader on condition of anonymity.
The Maoist politburo meeting is slated for Monday. The politburo meeting will mainly focus on the party´s general line. “We will also deliberate whether we should remain the main opposition, participate in a coalition led by others, or lead the government under another party leader as prime minister,” he said.
Party leaders say the country is witnessing a protracted political deadlock as other political parties don´t want Dahal to be prime minister, while Dahal doesn´t want any other party leader to get that post.
According to sources, plans are afoot behind the scenes to challenge Dahal at the upcoming politburo.
The position of Dr Baburam Bhattarai has become stronger in the aftermath of the party´s general strike fiasco and amidst the growing unpopularity of Dahal for his loose talk in public.
Dr Bhattarai was being seen widely as prime ministerial candidate from the Maoist party, but on Thursday Dahal got the party´s top office bearers to decide that he and none other should lead a national consensus government.
After the failure of the party´s indefinite general strike, Dahal had publicly announced that he was ready to accept any political party or leader heading the next government for the sake of national consensus.
Leaders close to Dr Bhattarai have claimed that they would be in a majority in the politburo as influential leader Mohan Baidya is silent over the issue. “The leaders supporting Baidya would be divided,” said the source.
“Nowadays the trend of following individual leaders has changed. They form their opinions issue-wise. That´s why the chairman´s ambition is likely to be defeated,” said a politburo member.
The party standing committee meeting on Friday did not deliberate the leadership issue, saying that would be settled at the politburo. “The politburo meeting will take up the issue. We don´t have the right to decide the issue,” said Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma.
The meeting entrusted Dahal with the task of preparing modalities concerning integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants and other proposals related to the peace process.
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