‘BIPPA is major bone of contention’

HETAUDA: Just a day after tabling a dissenting proposal in the party’s ongoing Seventh National Congress, the UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the major bone of contention in the party at this time was on Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement signed by Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai with India.

“I have tabled my proposal seeking discussions on BIPPA in the general convention. But, Chairman Prachanda is not for this due to time constraints,” Shrestha told the media persons today.

Chairman Prachanda is for holding intensive discussions in the issues of national sovereignty within six months of the formation of the new central committee.

Analysts have said that the separate proposal tabled by Vice-chairman Shrestha, who is also the deputy prime minister in the Baburam Bhattarai-led government, was nothing more than showing his presence in the party among the cadres who are meeting after 22 years.
Similarly, each team leader would get not more than seven minutes to deliver the team’s suggestions and conclusions on the proposals tabled by party chairman Prachanda and other leaders.

Discussion in groups is continuing on the third day of the closed session today as well. There were 63 groups for discussions.