“Things are moving in a positive direction, but we are yet to reach an agreement. The meeting on Friday will take up the contentious issues to reach an agreement,” said Maoist leader Devendra Poudel. [break]
Maoist Chairman Dahal had postponed the party central committee meeting on June 24 for three days saying he would first hold a standing committee in three days to narrow down the differences, but failed to hold any such meeting due to growing factionalism.
The party hard-line faction led by Baidya has accused Dahal of betraying them by quitting the line of revolt, while party moderates led by Bhattarai have pitched for sharing of power, which is centralized in the hands of the party chairman.
According to sources, the newly formed tactical alliance between Bhattarai and Baidya in a bid to cut the chairman down to size has aggravated the situation in the party.
Baidya and Bhattarai have jointly demanded that the chairman give up his absolute control of the party, and share power with other leaders.
Bhattarai and Baidya faction have demanded that the party make Dahal the chief of the party only, giving the charge of the party´s organization to Baidya, parliamentary board to Bhattarai and military to party General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa.
Leaders close to Dahal say the signature campaign jointly launched by Baidya and Bhattarai has complicated the problem in the party. On June 24, 169 lawmakers from Baidya and Bhattarai factions had submitted a memorandum to the party demanding implementation of the party´s earlier decision to give 33 percent share to women in the new government.
“The signature campaign is the root of the problem. It made the internal contradiction unhealthy,” said Maoist leader Haribol Gajurel who is close to Dahal.
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