The CPN-Maoist led by Netra Bikram Chand, which has adopted a policy of 'moving forward on the socialist path through agricultural revolution', has been in a state of discord after expelling central secretariat member Uma Bhujel (Shilu) and another leader Chandra Bahadur Khadka (Asal) from the party. They were expelled after they raised the issue that the 'unified revolution' under the leadership of CPN-Maoist General Secretary Chand was not progressing and that this should be reviewed.

In 2069, Mohan Vaidya, CP Gajurel, and Ram Bahadur Thapa, along with Netra Bikram Chand, had left the then Maoist party led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, saying that it had abandoned the path of revolution. Chand, who also separated from Mohan Vaidya in 2071 and formed a new party (the then CPN), had carried out armed activities for about 6 years.

Recently, Bhujel and Khadka took action against General Secretary Chand after they started having different opinions within the party. Bhujel said that she was removed from her position after she said that the party should review the path taken by it after 12 years of its formation.

‘It has been more than 12 years since the party was formed for a unified revolution. The party should have disseminated ideas at the pace it should have. Why did it not?’ she said, ‘The Communist Party has reached a defensive state. I faced action for expressing the opinion that communist forces should be united to move forward on the path of socialism.’ Bhujel is a former commander of the then Maoist militants and a member of the Constituent Assembly. She was also known as a trusted leader of Maoist General Secretary Chand.

Another leader who was taken into action, Khadka, complained that General Secretary Chand was intolerant when he tried to hold an ideological debate within the party. ‘We had expressed the opinion that we should move forward with an ideological debate within the party.’ The leadership was arrogant and intolerant and action was taken,' he said, 'Our question was why the party could not move forward in a revolutionary direction.'

Earlier, CPN-Maoist leaders Chiran Pun and Karnajit Budhathoki had joined the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Sudarshan Mangale, a leader close to General Secretary Chand, said that Bhujel and Khadka were relieved of their responsibilities because they chose the path of escape. 'They were relieved of their responsibilities because they chose the path of escape from the revolutionary party,' he said, 'they have fallen ideologically.' Bhujel and Khadka said that General Secretary Chand had a feudalistic culture. 'The General Secretary of the Revolutionary Party had a feudalistic mentality of thinking that everything he did was right and a culture of taking action against those who had different opinions,' they said.

Khadka said that discussions are underway to form a separate party. "First we will form a party structure, then we will talk about unity," he said. During the then Maoist People's War, the police arrested Bhujel in 2056 and put him in Gorkha Jail. He, along with Kamala Nahaki, escaped from jail by digging a tunnel. Bhujel became a brigade commander of fighters during the armed conflict.

Action taken after Bhujel formed factions: CPN Maoist

The CPN Maoist has stated that it has taken action against Secretariat member Bhujel for continuously being a deviant, escapist, and forming factions against the party's ideas, policies, and decisions despite serious discussions with the General Secretary. General Secretary Chand said - During the discussion on the organization, Secretariat member Comrade Seal, despite serious discussions with the General Secretary after the Central Committee meeting, was constantly deviating and creating factions against the party's ideas, policies, and decisions, and was carrying out provocative activities against the party's work, leadership, and people's revolution. Therefore, it was decided to relieve him from all responsibilities including the party's Central Committee.

Khadka, who had worked in Chand's secretariat for a long time, was a candidate from Salyan in the Falgun election. Chand had formally accepted the parliamentary election in the Falgun election. In the Falgun 21 election, the then NCP changed its name to Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) and adopted the election symbol as a rose. Since NCP coordinator Dahal had left the Maoist movement, Chand had named the party Maoist saying that he would take it forward. Although 130 candidates were fielded across the country in the House of Representatives election, not a single one could win.

The CPN-Maoist had secured 23,800 votes in the proportional representation. The party could not secure any proportional seats. Chand himself was not a candidate.

Chand took action against 'Gorkha jailbreaker' Uma Bhujel

Although discussions were held with Dahal to unite before the Gen-G movement, Chand had entered the fray alone in the Falgun elections. After several Maoist leaders joined the CPN, Chand had fallen out with Dahal, saying that they were 'trying to split the party.'

Chand had formed another Maoist party by pursuing a strategy of mass rebellion. After the policy of mass rebellion carried by Vaidya could not be implemented, Chand had separated from Vaidya in 2071 Mangsir and formed the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). After that, he started a paramilitary struggle and the leadership of Chand and others went underground.