Baidya reiterates demand for CA dissolution
KATHMANDU, March 16: Two Maoist parties -- UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist - have formed two separate talks teams with the objective to hold negotiations for their reunification.
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya led the talks team from their respective parties.
Senior leaders Baburam Bhattarai, Narayankaji Shrestha, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Top Bahadur Raymajhi are members of the talks team from the UCPN (Maoist) while CPN-Maoist talks team include CP Gajurel, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Dev Gurung.
A bilateral meeting between the leaders from the two sides on Sunday decided to expedite the "principle-based reunification process".
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"We have also decided to intensify the joint movement against regressive moves that are against national interest and people's livelihoods," read the statement jointly issued by Dahal and Baidya.
The two parties have also decided to announce joint protests against the "regressive steps taken by state agencies in connection with the peace process including the Truth and Reconciliation and Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances".
The Baidya-led faction had split from the UCPN (Maoist) to form CPN-Maoist in 2012 but Baidya's party itself suffered division as the party's influential leader Netra Bikram Chand formed his own CPN Maoist.
Though the announcement of reunification between the two parties may pressure the ruling coalition into heeding the opposition alliance's stances with regard to constitution-making process, Dahal faces an equally tough challenges ahead of accepting all the conditions of the splinter group.
The Baidya-led party that boycotted the CA election in 2013 has been consistently demanding dissolution of the present CA arguing that this assembly can never produce a pro-people constitution.
"It has been practically proved that the second CA that was constituted in a planned, undemocratic and unconstitutional ways can't produce a pro-people constitution," said a statement issued by Baidya-led Maoist party's spokesperson Pampha Bhusal on Sunday.
