But some say it's a long shot
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KATHMANDU, April 18: As key leaders from various Maoist parties step up efforts for their unification, leaders from the Mohan Baidya-led CPN (Maoist), a breakaway faction of the UCPN (Maoist), have said that determining the political line has remained a major bone of contention in the unification bid.
Also leaders involved in two-party negotiations from the UCPN (Maoist) admitted that defining the party line has become the major challenge. They said that party unification talks are moving toward positive direction and only a few issues are left to be settled. The leaders' remarks have come at a time when second-rung leaders from the two Maoist parties have stepped up negotiations since they formed talks teams in March.
"Only the issue of defining the party's political line has surfaced as the major contentious issue for party reunification for now. Other issues are minor and can be settled once we finalize the political line of the unified party," CPN-Maoist Secretary Gurung told Republica.
In a significant departure from its previous party line, UCPN (Maoist) adopted 'socialist revolution' approach from its Hetauda general convention in 2013. However, CPN-Maoist is still sticking to its line of 'new democratic revolution'. Dahal-led party has concluded that capitalist revolution has been completed while Baidya's party insists that capitalist revolution has yet to be completed.
UCPN (Maoist) had approached CPN-Maoist for party reunification, shortly after facing humiliating defeat in second CA election. The new party that severed its ties in 2012 responded to the proposal positively as a faction of the Baidya-led party split it again to form a new party led by hardliner Netra Bikram Chand in last November.
Responding to the reunification approach, the CPN-Maoist had floated a six-point condition to the UCPN (Maoist) last year. The Baidya-led party has pressed Dahal to accept new democratic revolution as the party's political line and reject parliamentary system.
However, CPN-Maoist has said it can accept the parliamentary system if UCPN (Maoist) expressed commitment to making changes to the existing parliamentary system. Leaders said UCPN (Maoist) is positive toward this proposal.
"We are inching closer to settling the six-point condition. On the issue of defining the political line, it could be an issue for discussion but we must recognize the changes we brought in the country in recent years," said UCPN-Maoist General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
But, CPN-Maoist is not ready to accept it. "Social problems remain unsettled and the economic condition has not elevated. So institutionalizing the existing achievements is unacceptable for us," said Gurung.
Rest of other points floated by CPN-Maoist were adopting Marxism, Leninism and Maoism as the party's guiding principles; reviewing the party history to correct the past mistakes and weaknesses; accepting the role of force to bring about social revolution and change and to mobilize the party organization based on the principle of democratic centralism.
With, the UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist claiming that a few issues are left to be ironed out, leftist analyst Shyam Shrestha, however, claimed that reunification is a long shot
