Dahal termed the Madhes dispute an internal issue of the country and proposed to address it through dialogue among Nepal’s own political parties.
“Imposing a blockade on Nepal is a serious mistake on India’s part. We have to seek a diplomatic solution but must also expose India’s doing before the international community,” UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal said in a political paper that he presented at the party’s central committee meeting on Tuesday. “We must be flexible in addressing any genuine concerns pertaining to the proposed federal boundaries.”
Dahal in his 27-page political paper also described the Indian blockade as indicative of interference in Nepal’s sovereignty.
“The chairman concluded that the major contradiction in Nepali society is still the “feudal representatives protected and cultivated by Indian expansionists,” a central committee member told Republica, requesting anonymity.
Bhattarai quit under a design, not abruptly
Dahal told party members that the party’s former vice-chairman, Baburam Bhattarai, had quit the party under a design and that it was not an independent or abrupt decision.
“He [Bhattarai] committed a blunder. He always had a negative attitude toward the party leadership. He went on to defame our party, comparing it with a precarious building with a red sticker,” party central committee member Hemraj Bhandari quoted Dahal as saying. “It has become clear that such comments came from him as per a plan to defame this organization.”
Dahal instructed party cadres to expose Bhattarai ‘s action, saying that he betrayed the country in quitting the party at a time when the constitution had been duly proclaimed. The country and the people were pushed into a serious crisis, he added.
Within days after promulgation of the new constitution, Bhattarai not only quit the party but relinquished his membership of parliament as well.
Dahal said he sees no possibility of a reunion with Bhattarai and his group as the latter had adopted a revisionist approach, deviating from the fundamental principles of a communist party.
In the chapter on party unification, he stated that the UCPN (Maoist) can go for unification with five other smaller Maoist parties but that didn’t include the Bhattarai-led group.
“Though Bhattarai is beating the drum of a new political force, we will remain the leader of the new forces by virtue of political principles and organization, and he cannot challenge us,” Dahal claimed.
Maintaining that the party’s image had improved significantly mainly because of its role in promulgating the new constitution, Dahal proposed to launch a campaign to revive the party’s glory on the basis of its achievements on the constitutional front.
He floated a proposal for “running a six-month party-strengthening drive” across the country, starting mid-December.
Meanwhile, former politburo member and key leader Lokendra Bista, who had announced having relinquished all organizational responsibilities, resumed all central responsibilities and attended the central committee meeting on Tuesday.
Related story
Failure to call blockade a blockade caused poll defeat: Dr Koir...
