Sharma says: If the Maoists are dissolved in the name of unity, we will revive them and move forward, Dahal's faction says: Don't rush, a solution can be found from within the party
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The Maoist secretariat members (outgoing deputy general secretary) Janardan Sharma and Ram Karki (outgoing secretary) have been spreading the wave of party splits from the center to the districts since Sunday morning. They have warned of a 'rebellion' saying that the party should not be unified with the CPN-Socialist.
He has put forward the ‘bottom line’ that he can reconsider only after the party unification is postponed and the coordinator (outgoing chairman) Pushpa Kamal Dahal steps down from the leadership and sets a date for a special general convention.
After the party’s institutional wing prepares to unify with other small parties including the CPN-S this week, he has started working to form another left-wing front. After Sharma warned that he would leave the party, leaders close to Dahal are trying to ‘remind’ him. He has boycotted the secretariat meeting held on Sunday morning. ‘I will put my vote in the upcoming central committee meeting,’ he told Ikantipur, ‘If the Maoists are dissolved in the name of unity, we will revive them and move forward.’
Stating that he has been accused of trying to split the Maoists for the past three years, he said that he will move forward by reorganizing the Maoists. His analysis is that the party is trying to dissolve the Maoist faction in the name of unity. The first phase of the plan is to move forward by uniting with the Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand, which is being registered with the Election Commission. Similarly, he has started initial dialogue for a broad leftist unity with senior CPN-S leader Jhalanath Khanal and General Secretary Ghanshyam Bhusal, who are opposed to party unity.
'The path of disintegration of the communist movement has been chosen. I call for the immediate suspension of this unity process and the overall reorganization of the party, ideological clarity and moving forward in a pro-people direction,' Sharma had expressed a different opinion at the central secretariat meeting on Saturday.
Secretary Ram Karki has also concluded that the party is about to be dissolved and will not go for unity. He, who has been voting in favor of Maoist reorganization, has been accusing the party of being dissolved in the name of unity. 'The Maoists were already dissolved in the eyes of the people.' Now the leaders have formally dissolved,' he told Kantipur, 'We will start a unified communist campaign. This will be a large-scale campaign.'
Sharma has said that unity with small parties including the CPN-S will make the Maoist movement thoughtless. 'Not one or two, but a large-scale left unity is necessary. One cannot go to Sati in unity without thought. Going for party unity for the personal interests of the leader is against the spirit of the movement,' Sharma argues.
Maoist spokesperson Agni Sapkota claimed that the party will not split even if there are differences of opinion. 'Janardanji has said that he will come to the central committee meeting and express his opinion,' he said.
Leaders from Chairman Dahal's side, including Barshaman Pun, have suggested that Sharma should find a way out within the party, saying that it would be wrong for him to leave the party in anger. The conflict over the division of responsibilities between coordinators Dahal and Sharma, which was seen two years ago, has reached the brink of a crisis.
While Sharma and Karki are demanding a postponement of the unity, the party unification with the Maoist Center, the CPN Unified Socialist Party, and the Nepal Socialist Party is scheduled to take place on Kartik 20.
Maoist spokesperson Agni Sapkota said that the party unification has been finalized. 'The party unification will be announced on Kartik 20,' he said, adding that the secretariat meeting will conclude the remaining technical matters, 'Organizational and technical issues will be finalized.'
The Maoists, CPN S, Nepal Socialist Party (Mahendra Raya Yadav), CPN Socialist Party (Raju Karki), Jana Samajwadi Party (Subhash Raj Kafle), and CPN (Chiran Pun) will unite. Pushpa Kamal Dahal will be the coordinator of the unified party, and the name of the party will be CPN Socialist Party.
Who is on Sharma and Karki's side?
Although there are about a dozen leaders who agree with leaders Janardan Sharma and Ram Karki, who are opposed to party unity, many leaders are confused about going to the level of splitting the party.
Former Minister Sudan Kirati, Provincial MP Indra Angbo, National Assembly members Jagat Sharma, Narayani Sharma, and central member Shiva Mandal have come out in their favor. At the central committee meeting held on Asoj 10, three dozen out of about a hundred central members came out.
‘It seems that not many leaders will go to the level of splitting the party,’ said a Maoist leader, ‘I suggest that Janardanji should stay within the party and struggle.’
