Maoist Center Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged Secretariat member Janardan Sharma, who left the party and announced a 'progressive campaign', to return to the party. He made this emotional request at the meeting of the General Convention Organizing Committee held at Pragya Pratishthan on Tuesday.

Edited excerpt of his request to Sharma:

Today I feel sad. Yesterday, we worked together in the Unity General Conference, in 2048 BS, then in the People's War, in the Peace Accord, and then in the governments of various times. A fellow communist who worked together is not present here today in the meeting of the office bearers' secretariat - Communist Janardan Sharma 'Prabhakar'. This is very unpleasant for all of us. He should have been here. Due to the context and background of history and the party leadership, he was called until the last moment, even the day before yesterday, and told - 'We must be one, whatever you have to say, you have every right to speak in a democratic environment.' That environment was created, your words were put forward in long consultation meetings with the aim of reaching the general line. We had given you sufficient time to express your complaints, pain, disagreements and feelings in the Central Committee, Standing Committee, and Office Bearers' meetings.

I had told him the other day that you should not think otherwise in such a situation. But he spoke to me that day with a very cool mind, cool and light-hearted manner. He said – 'I have worked under your leadership for more than 40 years, I consider you a leader. Even today, I consider you a leader. Even if we are different for some time tomorrow, you are my leader.' I am telling you these words that he said here – he spoke very sweetly. Very good. I also said – 'Why did you have to leave? Stay here, let's sit together, discuss.'

I remember the hard work I did to save you from all the internal conflicts and various troubles within the party more than 40 years ago. You may also remember – who tried to expel you from the party earlier? You also remember, I still remember it because I was in the leadership. Seeing your activism and dynamism, I disagreed and criticized you on some things, in a strong way. But still I loved you and encouraged you. You were the Minister of Peace, Home Minister, Finance Minister, Energy Minister. These responsibilities were not beyond the will of the party leadership.

History is a witness to the position you are in now – 'The position to fight Prachanda, that sword was given, provided'. He did not even deny that. Instead, he said in another sweet way – 'I want to tell you now, I too have been feeling harassed for two years. Why did the chairman try to trick me like this? Is it my fault or yours? It is not decided now. Rather, when I sit outside for some time, I get the opportunity to review my mistakes in a different way. If you also feel that Prabhakar is necessary, we will meet again after some time. You are my leader.'

This is the synthesis of his past. Now what he said to me does not match what he said elsewhere. What I hear from my friends, these things do not match. But I am convinced that what he said to me in a serious manner is true. That is why I want to tell Prabhakar from here too — you did not come today, you did not come to the meeting yesterday too, you have been separated for a few days now — but you should come back. My appeal is that the party should come to the unity declaration meeting tomorrow.