Baburam Bhattarai has ruled out the possibility of joining a communist party again.
Bhattarai, who was recently expelled from Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), told Setopati on Tuesday evening that his goal was to build a socialist center.
After Bhattarai met CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday morning, many had speculated whether he was planning to join the Maoist party again.
“I won’t join [a] communist party now,” said Bhattarai. “My goal is to form a socialist center.”
He said that he held talks with Dahal in that regard and that they had a general discussion.
Bhattarai said that he proposed forming a socialist center during the meeting and Dahal sought suggestions on what they should do in view of the upcoming elections.
“They [Maoists] are not ready to leave the communist party,” said Bhattarai.
Bhattarai said that he has also held talks with Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, KP Sharma Oli and Bamdev Gautam on the issue of forming a socialist center.
He added that he was still in the process of discussing the issue with everyone.
JSP recently expelled Bhattrai, its Federal Council chairman, and eight other leaders from the party, with Ashok Rai replacing Bhattarai as federal council chairman.
The party's central committee meeting, attended by almost two-thirds of the members as per the claims of the Upendra Yadav-led faction, in Birgunj took a decision to that effect last Thursday.
Bhattarai and the other eight leaders have been accused of acting against the party statute, convening meetings exercising the rights of the chairman, and deciding to form a new party, according to a leader close to party chairman Yadav.
Bhattarai had convened an extended central committee meeting in Kathmandu last Tuesday and Wednesday.
