The Maoist chairman said this while talking to media persons at Dwarika´s Himalayan Shangrila Resort at Dhulikhel, where he has been staying since Wednesday to draft a political document to be presented at the party central committee (CC) meeting on Friday. [break]
Dahal said he hopes the CA term would be extended through consensus, but argued that the country would not be left without a CA even if the political parties fail to strike a deal by May 28 on a constitutional amendment.
“The CA will remain passive for some time, but it will not become defunct,” Dahal told journalists.
He was of the opinion that the CA could be revived at a later date through political consensus even if the parties fail to extend its term by May 28.
Speaking along the same lines, Minister for Information and Communications Shankar Pokharel stated on Wednesday that the CA would remain, albeit in dormant mode, even if its term was not extended through an amendment to the interim constitution, and it could be reactivated again at a later date through consensus.
Talking to local reporters, the Maoist chairman said that his political document is focused on a proposal to render the CA “meaningful and alive” and it would be presented at the party CC meeting on Friday.
“May 28 is coming closer by the day. The CA has been only passive since last year,” he said. He also clarified that the Maoists are only making public their draft constitution on May 29, but this does not mean they are proclaiming a “people´s constitution” from the streets.
Talking to myrepublica.com, a Maoist politburo member however hinted that the Maoists would ultimately lend support to the CA term extension. “The Maoist party is the largest in the CA and it will lose much if that body is dissolved without accomplishing its mission,” said politburo member Ram Karki.
According to party insiders, there are three reasons why the Maoists would go for CA extension. First, history would show that the CA, for which the Maoists shed so much blood, became defunct due to their own rigid stance; secondly, the Maoists have gained legitimacy as the largest political party in the CA and once the CA is terminated the party´s status would be relegated to just one of many parties; and third, the Maoists currently don´t have the option of an immediate urban insurrection in the wake of the general strike fiasco.
The party has already conceded its mistake in holding an indefinite general strike and giving it the semblance of a “people´s revolt”.
“It would now only be suicidal to launch another revolt under the guise of a mass movement,” says a top Maoist leader, adding, “The party´s next strategic move would depend much on what the chairman has envisaged in his political document and how it would be countered or balanced by soft-liners led by Dr Baburam Bhattarai.”
Related story
High Level Education Commission's term extended till January 8
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
