Filling key vacancies to top UCPN (Maoist) plenum agenda

KATHMANDU, JUL 08 -

Besides political and ideological differences, key positions in the UCPN (Maoist)’s organisational structure are likely to become a contentious issue between Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai at the party’s seventh plenum that begins on July 16, leaders said.

With the exit of the party’s hard-line faction led by Mohan Baidya, the ideological clash between “peace-constitution” and “revolt” will no longer be a prominent agenda in the meet as party Chairman Dahal is preparing to take ownership of the peace and constitution line, originally propagated by Vice-chairman Bhattarai.

Leaders, however, have not ruled out the possibility of a separate document from Bhattarai if Dahal takes a dual stance on peace and constitution, like in the past.

The clash is likely to centre on a “reasonable share of the party’s organisational” positions, said leaders. The party’s organisational structure has been a prominent issue in the party, ever since the sixth plenum in 2011 when Baidya and Bhattarai stood in favour of ending Dahal’s firm hold on the party. The issue remains unsettled.

Dahal’s monopoly over the party’s organisation was a prime reason for the recent split in the party, said leaders. “We will raise the issue of a fair share in the party’s organisational structure, from the centre to the local level, in the plenum. Organisation will be the top agenda,” said Central Committee member Khagaraj Bhatta, who is close to Bhattarai.

On Friday, Bhattarai consulted Central Committee members and former lawmakers loyal to him to prepare a factional strategy. “We will have to wait till the Central Committee meeting that begins on July 26 to see how he [Dahal] responds to the organisational and political issues we raise,” a participant quoted Bhattarai as having said.

A few months ago, the party formed a three-member task force to prepare a proposal on the allocation of responsibilities to all leaders in a “respectful” manner. Members of the task force were Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel and Devendra Poudel. Dahal had entrusted the task force with preparing a proposal on the “scientific allocation” of responsibilities before the plenum.

The Bhattarai faction is now in a wait-and-see mode until July 16, when the chairman will finalise the division of responsibilities and chart future strategy accordingly. A

few days ago, Dahal consulted party Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha about appointments to the key positions.

“We will see how Dahal approaches and reshuffles party responsibilities,” said a senior leader close to Bhattarai.

After the party split on June 18, key positions of office bearers and in Standing Committee, Politburo, Central Committee and State Committees are lying vacant, even as the list of contenders for the positions has steadily lengthened.

Dahal plans to bring in close aide Krishna Bahadur Mahara as the general secretary but Bhattarai has opposed the proposal in favour of Post Bahadur Bogati on the basis of seniority. Bhattarai wants to promote Top Bahadur Rayamajhi to a Standing Committee member while Dahal wants Barsha Man Pun in the position. However, both Amik Sherchan and Giriraj Mani Pokhrel are senior to Rayamajhi and Pun in the party.

As Bhattarai’s organisational strength is “very weak,” he wants to solidify his position within the party. Bhattarai is seeking a reasonable share in the party’s organisational front, which the Dahal faction is unlikely to agree to. Leaders sympathising with Bhattarai said that as the party adopted Bhattarai’s ideological line since the 2005 Chunwang meet, their faction should get respectable positions in the party.

Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha is also demanding a fair share of the party’s key positions. It will be a tough job for Dahal to consolidate his power while satisfying both Bhattarai and Shrestha.

“Dahal will satisfy all the leaders with select responsibilities,” said Haribol Gajurel, who is close to Dahal.


Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/07/08/top-story/filling-key-vacancies-to-top-ucpn-maoist-plenum-agenda/356775/