Will participate in Central Committee meeting: Paudel

KATHMANDU: UCPN Maoist leader Devendra Paudel has claimed that the leaders close to Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai will participate in party’s upcoming central committee meeting. Paudel, who is one of the most influential leaders in the Bhattarai faction, said so while speculations are rife of the faction’s intention to boycott the CC meeting accusing party Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal of foul play in selecting CC members during the recently concluded conclave of the party.

Paudel said that they will participate in the CC meeting claiming that Dahal had promised of taking the party ahead in consensus. Talking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters Club Nepal on Sunday, he informed that Dahal and another vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha have agreed to form a 151 member CC during a meeting with him and party leader Top Bahadur Raimajhi.

“We have requested for deferring the CC meet citing delay in the arrival of Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai. We will participate in the first meeting after due discussion if it is deferred and will participate in the second meeting, if the first one is not deferred,” said Paudel at the program presided by the Club’s President Rishi Dhamala.

Claiming that they had not boycotted the Biratnagar conclave to split the party he said that the party can move ahead in consensus if Chairman Dahal moves ahead in consensus giving up factionalism.

However Paudel warned that they would not sit tight if their demands, presented to the Chairman, are not addressed.
Commenting on the progress made in constitution drafting, Paudel accused the government of being incapable of initiating efforts to garner consensus on the constitution drafting process along with general day to day administration.