KATHMANDU: After the 21 months of the party split, both communist party UCPN-Maoist and CPN-Maoist have come together for party unification task. Both parties had divided over the debate of party’s future action-plans.

Prachanda has reached out in near with the Baidya camp with internal analysis for party unification as he has been facing the charges of party’s defeat in the last November Constituent Assembly Election from Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha. He sought to stress on the party unification with CPN-Maoist for holding the power within his hand. According to the source, Prachanda has made eight times secret meeting with Mohan Baidya.

Prachanda is in near to vomit the agendas’ and action-plans proposed by Hetauda general convention. Along with this, baidya led Maoist party has also given the clue of party unification as if the Mother party would leave some agenda of hetauda general convention. Issuing a joint press statement on Thursday, the parties urged the concerned stakeholders not to hold the local body elections before the promulgation of a new constitution.

The statement was jointly signed by the Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidhya. Both party’s supremo have jointly inked in the recently published press release for joint-cooperation on upcoming days. Prachanda’s closed camp leaders claimed that the current commitment of both parties for joint-cooperation is the primary phase of the party unity.

Although Mohan Baidy led CPN-Maoist had thought to establish his party in the national politics with carrying the agenda of the peoples’ war and had attempted to spoil the environment of the Constitution Assembly Election and failed to create its role in the national politics, now seeking to re-unite with mother party. Similarly Prachanda led UCPN-Maoist is also seeking party unity after the damp-defeat of party in the last CA polls. Finally both parties have started its dialogue on the process of party unification with the long discussions over to save the existence of communist party in the nation.

But, Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha have dissatisfied with Supremo Prachanda. Internally, both senior leaders are pressuring to prachanda for not-party unity. Source said, Baburam Bhattrai has been seeking to hold the discussions to organize the new socialist party. Participating party’s leaders of CA including Madhesi and minor have assured to participate in the Babauram-led-alliance and leadership. But Baburam wants to continue his struggles from within the party.

BIRATNAGAR: UCPN-Maoist’s Supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” has said that he won’t resign from the party chairman in the current condition. He argued that his resignation from the post in the present condition would bring more problems.

Prchanda’s statement comes at a time when leaders sharing affinity with Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai have been voicing from Prachanda’s resignation from the party.

Speaking to journalist at the Biratnagar airport on Sunday, en route to Ilam, Prachanda said, “It would be better to hold serious discussions on issues surrounding the dismal performance of the party during the CA election and of reforming party leadership. But this is not the appropriate time to make changes in the party leadership.”

“We all should bear our mistakes and move ahead concentrating on efforts to promulgate the new constitution within promised time and on the process to ensure the establishment of the people’s right in Federalism.

Responding to questions from journalist, Prachanda refuted the claims that his party’s leadership is like that of Stalin and termed such notion-holders as bourgeois communists.

On a different note, he said that Nepali Congress should take initiation to form new government and added that Congress leaders should be more serious on this matter.

Central Committee members Gopal Kirati and Barsha Man Pun also accompanied Prachanda to attend the invitation of Kirat Dharma Guru Aatmanda Lingden.

KATHMANDU: UCPN Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal has pledged to revert today’s joint leadership in the party after the successful conclusion of the proposed Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.

His statement came minutes after the extended meeting of the party’s central committee dissolved the executive committee of the party and handed all the authority to Dahal.

The decision, which was a sharp deviation from the party general convention’s decision to go for joint decision-making mechanism, was endorsed unanimously with a small friction from Vice Chairman Naryan Kaji Shrestha.

Addressing the conclusion of the meet, Dahal directed all party cadres to fully involved in the one-month election campaign slated to start July 25th. This program among other actions, has made it mandatory for all party leaders to visit electoral constituencies and prepare report for improving party’s standing in the upcoming CA elections.

Prachanda sounded euphoric during the address when he called on party comrades to restore the Maoist glory by taking to the villages and making their presence felt among the locals.

KATHMANDU: UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi held parleys today regarding the nitty-gritty of the CA poll including the date announcement.

On Thursday also, Prachanda had met NC Chief Sushil Koirala, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and other influential leaders regarding the same issue.

After meeting with Regmi, Prachanda said the major political parties would forge consensus at the meeting of the high-level political committee this morning as the time was running fast.

As Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai is frequently trading charges against the western community and institutions funded by them for poll derailment in Nepal, the US Ambassador Peter W Bodde also met with Prachanda this morning.

The US envoy reached  Prachanda’s residence in Lazimpat.

During the meeting, Ambassador Bodde expressed dissatisfaction to the statements of Dr Baburam Bhattarai clarifying that they were in favor of election in Nepal and have no intention to destabilize poll environment.

HETAUDA: UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said that the meeting of the high-level political committee scheduled for Monday would fix the CA poll date.

The CA poll date was not announced so far due to dilly-dallying of the Nepali Congress and UML, he told cadres at an interaction in Hetauda today.

There are high chances of poll date announcement as the political talks are in the war footing with all stakeholders, he added.

The Maoist supremo said that the government and the political parties were committed to holding the fresh CA election by mid-November.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s top actress and one of the top woman leaders of  the CPN (UML) today joined the UCPN (Maoist) at a formal program organized by the UCPN (Maoist) at its headquarters, Koteshwor.

The most sought after actress of the country Rekha Thapa joined the UCPN (Maoist) in front of hundred of Maoist supporters and top leaders of the Maoist including Chairman Pushpa  Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and others.

Rekha, who turned nervous during the program, said, “I joined the party to serve the nation. My family members have sacrificed blood for the movement. You will know gradually which class I belong to.” She also she was feeling pride while joining the country’s most revolutionary party.

Similarly, UML leader Urmila Aryal also said that she has not demanded any post while entering into the Maoists. “I joined the UCPN (Maoist) to make it the center of Nepal’s communist forces. I want end of groupism in this party, if there are any,” she said.

Earlier, UML’s most powerful leader from Madhesh Ram Chandra Jha had also joined the UCPN (Maoist).

KATHMANDU: China has pitched in its concern over the growing political transition in Nepal with one of most powerful politician- UCPN Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda. During his meeting with key Chinese politicians that included President Xi Jinping, he was asked to deploy measures to stabilize politics at the earliest among other issues.

Prachanda said that he found Chinese government concerned about the extending political transition in the country while adding that the issue dominated his 15 minutes dialogue with President Xi Jinping while talking to journalist in Kathmandu after returning from China on Saturday night.

Jinping while inquiring about the latest measures taken by Nepalese political parties to hold CA elections, had specially stressed on the need to end transition so that Nepal could move ahead economically. Though President Jinping was not reported to have shown any particular interest in the CPN Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya and other dissenting parties who have declined to participate in the proposed CA elections, lower rung of Chinese leaders did inquire about the confrontation between major political parties and CPN Maoist led group of 31 dissenting political partites, Prachanda said.

He said that he assuaged the Chinese concerns about the dissenting parties and about the repercussions stemming from the demand for ethnic federal states. While not elaborating on the nature of federalism that he assured to the Chinese leaders, Prachanda informed that the Chinese laid stress on forming a federal Nepal that has a powerful and stabilized central federal government system.

Maintaining cordial relationship with India and moving ahead jointly on issues of regional importance also were reported to be major discussions during the meetings. Prachanda said that the Chinese were keen on working closely with India to implement the 10MW Chisapani- Karnal Hydropower project and Lumbini Development Zone project.

Stating that economic development should be Nepal’s priority, Prachanda said that China has expressed more willingness of cooperating with the Indian side on many fronts in Nepal and in the region. He said that China has substantial amount of investments in India too and claimed that Chinese suggested Nepali politicians should also move ahead by working in close ties with both of its neighbor.

RISHI DHAMALA: United CPN Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal’s weeklong visit to our northern neighbor and world’s rising power China at a time when Nepal is at peak of its transition has been analyzed significantly by all sectors. The visit made in the capacity of not only as the Chairman of Nepal’s largest political party but also in the capacity as the Chairman of Interim Election Council, will have wider impact on political, diplomatic, economic and other national sectors. Each of these sector is presently mulling on the factors that paved way for Prachanda’s visit to China.

Soon after China-visit, Prachanda is slated to make an official visit to India also. And these series of visits to both of Nepal’s next door neighbor has even more significance. China and India have always been active partners in our development endeavors and witnesses of our people’s political and economic struggles. Prachanda’s announcement that these visits are aimed at establishing peace, stability and development in Nepal have been received positively.

China’s growing economic dominance across the world is strategically in favor of Nepal. There has been change of guard in Chinese Communist Party and its government and also in Prachanda’s party. Cordial relationship between both nation’s communist party’s leadership seems to impart extra significance to his visit while promising repercussions in national politics.

China new leadership has recognized Prachanda as the key leader in Nepal and this is justified by the official visit invitation. Prachanda too also has renovated diplomatic tradition of Nepalese politicians considering Nepal’s geo-political situation and power-balance relationship between powerful nations. In the past, Prachanda was the one to break the unwritten diplomatic tradition of Nepalese politician to make their official state visit to India first. He had started his official visit to China. The break-way seemed to have cost him dearly.

Though not connected apparently, he was forced to resign from the post due to ‘Katuwal scandal’. However he has quickly learned the lesson of not irking one neighbor to gain the favor of other. He has adopted the philosophy of establishing Nepal as a connecting bridge between both neighbors. Though he made his first visit to China, he has clearly mentioned that India visit will follow soon after that. The statement was indicative of his party’s ‘connecting bridge’ policy.
Nepal’s adherence to One China policy and restriction of use of Nepalese soil to threat China’s national integrity has been Beijing’s main concern. The Free Tibet activities, termed as ‘anti-Chinese’ by the Chinese activities and fueled by the Western nations in the name of human rights in Nepal, has been a concerning issue for the Chinese leadership. During the erstwhile CA, China was concerned with the presence of UNMIN and with the growing influence of European nations in the federalization of Nepal. China is concerned that ethnic federalism can weaken Nepal’s national integrity and sovereignty and it’s leaders and diplomats have always brought this issue to the attention of Nepalese politicians.

India too has also expressed similar concerns as its own internal security is also connected to Nepal’s stability. Common concerns on core security issues have brought India and China on the same page. Well aware of these newly born circumstances, Prachanda is sure to assuage concerns of both nations during his visits. Needless to say, ethnic federalism will be Beijing’s main concern and Prachanda will be assuaging these concern.

China’s adoption of socialist capitalism and its corresponding growth seems to have enchanted Prachanda too. His call to Nepali youths to involve in industrial growth seems to have derived from the socialist-capitalism. The stress also indicated the shift of Maoist stress on economic growth from solo politics. While its main objective remains on national development, the policy to involve youths in economic activities will also be imperative in assuaging ethnic federalist demands, as youths will be focused on economic activities. And China has hinted to help Nepal in implementing this strategy.

Though these visits might pave way for bringing both neighbors on the same page, bringing internal dissenting political forces that includes some specialized ethnic federal forces, remains an uphill task for the Maoist supremo and his major political party counterparts.

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Translated/Edited by: Chitra Raj Bhandari

KATHMANDU: UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is arriving home today by wrapping up his weeklong China trip. The former Prime Minister is returning home via Hong Kong. He would land at Tribhuvan International Airport at 9 on Sunday night.

During his visit to world’s second largest economy, Prachanda held discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Vice-President, Chinese Premier and other top leaders.

The former Prime Minister is learnt to have urged the Chinese leaders and investors to assist and invest in Nepal’s development projects, especially in hydropower and infrastructure development.

Nepal’s top politician and chief of UCPN (Maoist), Prachanda is the top south Asian politician to have a meeting with the Chinese leadership within a month after leadership change in China.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s top politician and Chairman of UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who is in a weeklong China visit, has pledged to take steps for creating an investment-friendly business environment to encourage Chinese investments in Nepal.

He wished the Chinese investment especially in water resources, industrial development and transport networks.

Addressing a gathering of intellectuals and scholars at a program held at the Sichuan University in Chengdu of Sichuan province of China on Monday, Chairman Dahal, currently on a visit of the People’s Republic of China, said foreign investors are to get full protection according to the Home Ministry’s comprehensive national security plan to strengthen order and security in the country.

He also thanked China for the valuable economic and technical support it has been providing over the years as Nepal’s development partner, particularly for the recent duty free facility for 7787 export items.

Describing bilateral relations with China as ‘excellent’, the UCPN (Maoist) Chairman said Nepal has always been a staunch supporter of one China policy, and has thereby never allowed its territory to be used against the interest of China.

“Sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, friendship and mutual cooperation are the cornerstones of our bilateral relations with all countries”, he said.

Speaking about the current situation in Nepal, Chairman Prachanda said Nepal is now trying to draft a new constitution after electing a new Constituent Assembly and hope that the proposed CA elections would institutionalize and stabilize peace, democracy and justice in the country.

“The dissolution of the previous CA was caused by the combined effects of the reluctance of the traditional parliamentary parties to grant rights to marginalized people through federalism and the limitation on the tenure fixed by the Supreme Court”, he said.

“We believe giving a greater say to the marginalized groups in the national processes can lead to a situation where the deep-seated differences vanish to promote fraternity, reconciliation and tolerance among all sections of the population to maintain national unity and harmony”, he added.

During his speech, the former Prime Minister said he believed that Nepal could play a very important role in enhancing friendship and mutual cooperation between India and China, and their mutual cooperation was the best safeguard of Nepal’s national interest.

“China and India can provide relief to our ailing economy by allowing the entry of our products at zero or concessional tariff rates and encouraging their citizens to visit us for correcting the adverse balance of payment”, Dahal noted.

The concept of more prosperous countries extending cooperation to less developed countries has relevance to regional security, stability and development in Asia, he added.

Likewise, Chairman Prachanda also called for more collaborative efforts to protect the environment and counteract the ill effects of global warming so that the perennial sources of rivers originating from snow clad mountains including the Mount Everest don’t become a thing of the past.