The line of peace and constitution, endorsed by a majority vote in the CC, seems to have paved the way for the extension of the CA term and opened new vistas for the conclusion of the fraying peace process and stalled constitution drafting.
Dahal´s proposal saw strong opposition from party hardliners led by Baidya who questioned the integrity and leadership quality of Dahal for the latter´s "U-turn" on the party´s ideological line. [break]
"But the party has decided to let the senior vice-chairman to take his dissent to the lower level committees and hold discussions," Maoist CC member Ganga Shrestha told Republica.
The Baidya faction has interpreted Dahal´s new proposal as a ´serious ideological deviation´.
"The chairman has taken a U-turn from the mandate of the Palungtar plenum," said Maoist leader Kul Prasad KC, who is close to Baidya.
KC said that his faction would see how the party would move ahead in the next, crucial month and take a decision accordingly. "We will certainly launch revolt if any compromise is made against the spirit of the people´s war. We also want peace, but not the peace of the graveyard," said KC.
Baidya, while replying to the queries raised by CC members on Thursday, had termed Dahal´s document as "rightist, revisionist and an act of ideological erosion and reformism". "The new document compels us to question the honesty, integrity and leadership qualities of the chairman," a leader quoted Baidya as saying.
The leader of the party´s hardline camp also expressed objection to the statements by some party leaders that he was against peace and constitution. "What I have argued is that the party should not lose its revolutionary spirit," a leader quoted Baidya as saying.
At the meeting, Dahal had requested Baidya to let him accommodate the latter´s views in his document and endorse a single document. But disagreed and replied that he would withdraw his document if Dahal withdraws his.
With the backing of Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Dahal declared that his document has been endorsed by a majority vote. Dahal and Bhattarai together command a comfortable majority in the CC.
Baidya faction had alleged that Dahal´s new proposal was aimed at making himself the new prime minister. But Dahal countered saying that he wants to give continuity to the current government.
The CC has entrusted the standing committee with the task of forging new political programs and designating new ministers.
According to party leaders, the party doesn´t face any imminent threat of split, despite Baidya faction´s dissent.
"The party would zero in on the preparation of an integrated draft of the constitution and a modality for integration and rehabilitation of the PLA," said Shrestha. The party would also begin talks with other parties for converting the current coalition into a national consensus government. Maoists are also mulling a new coalition if the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Madhes-based parties, without whose support it is difficult to conclude the peace process and constitution drafting, don´t agree to join the current government.
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