The Maoist standing committee meeting on Friday took a decision to this effect. [break]
“The meeting decided to dissolve Bajagain´s parallel committees and officially recognize the one elected by the general convention,” said Maoist standing committee member Top Bahadur Rayamajhi.
The standing committee meeting on Friday saw heated exchanges between Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya over the issue.
The incumbent chief of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) Salikram Jammakattel is close to Dahal, while the rebel union leader Bajagain is close to Baidya.
“The party must suspend Jammakattel and investigate the allegations of corruptions and discipline violations against him,” a leader quoted Baidya as saying during the meeting. Baidya had defended the formation of parallel committees by Bajagain.
Dahal, however, argued that the formation of parallel committees was an instance of anarchy and grave violation of party discipline. “This is anarchy and we must stop,” a leader quoted Dahal as saying.
Finally, the party decided to direct Bajagain to immediately dissolve the parallel committees and refrain from such activities in the future.
The position of ANTUF chief is regarded as lucrative. There are allegations against Jammakattel of financial embezzlement and running the union in a dictatorial manner.
Bajagain has stated that he was compelled to form the parallel committees as Dahal turned a blind eye to the financial irregularities committed by Jamakattel.
Last Thursday, Maoist standing committee member Netra Biram Chand was the chief guest in the meeting of the Sanghiya Parisad, which consists of central committee members from all branches of Maoist-affiliated unions, organized by Jamakattel. Interestingly, Chand, who is from the Baidya camp, was also the chief guest of a function organized by Bajagain in Lalitpur to announce his parallel committes.
Bajagain was also scheduled to hold another meeting of Sanghiya Parisad on March 12.
The Bhattarai camp had boycotted the Sanghiya Parsiad meeting saying that both Jamakattel and Bajagain breached party discipline.
“Jamakattel is running the union in a bureaucratic manner, while Bajagain is becoming anarchic. So we boycott their meetings,” said ANTUF Assistant General Secretary Laldhoj Nembang, who is from Bhattarai camp.
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