Netra Bikram Chand and Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma seem to be the only leaders in favor of the party’s participation in the upcoming local election with the rest of central members against participation.
General Secretary Chand’s political report that proposes to use election to join peaceful politics was presented in the central committee meeting that started last Friday.
The party’s central committee meeting held in Kapilvastu has been discussing the report. All the central members apart from Chand have spoken by Thursday. “Almost everyone who has spoken until now has opined that we should not go for election,” a central member confided with Setopati. “Only general secretary and Bishwokarma are seen to be in favor of election among 68 central members.”
The meeting will continue for a few more days. Another central member told Setopati that it is necessary to discuss what the party’s strategy should be now that Chand’s proposal has failed. “We will now discuss how to move forward. General secretary is yet to speak. He may say something about that.”
The party is now at an interesting mode with Chand and Bishwokarma, who are said to have strong hold in the party, in minority.
Chand led CPN had signed a three-point agreement with the government led by KP Sharma Oli on March 4, 2021 after going underground to wage armed insurgency.
A press note issued by the talk team of both the sides had stated that the ‘Chand led CPN will carry out all its political activities peacefully and seek to resolve all political issues through dialogue while the government will revoke the ban on the party's activities, release all the arrested party leaders and cadres, and withdraw the cases against them.’
Chand has been repeatedly meeting different leaders for implementation of the agreement.
Chand, who participated in the split of Pushpa Kamal Dahal led Maoist party under Mohan Baidya in June 2012, had quit Baidya’s party two years later announcing to lead a rebellion. Chand has even been criticized inside the party for not justifying splitting of the party in the name of revolution.
There are efforts for unification of the Chand led CPN with CPN (Maoist Center) after the party signed the deal with government last year. Maoist Center leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been making efforts for that and has met Chand multiple times for that.
Chand and Bishwokarma, however, differ on the issue of party unification. Bishwokarma reportedly wants to unify with CPN-UML. Chand apparently has told him that the two should remain together irrespective of the party they unify with.
Chand is said to favor unification with Maoist Center but a few leaders in the Maoist party are reportedly not ready for that
