Saturday, June 29, 2013

Ex-PLA boycott CC over office-bearer, membership names

KIRAN PUN
Dahal proposal lambasted
KATHMANDU, June 29: Expressing disagreement with list of names for party office-bearers and for membership of the standing committee, politburo and central committee (CC) presented by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the CC meeting on Friday, CC members who were former PLA commanders have boycotted the ongoing CC meeting.


They boycotted the CC meeting at party head office, Paris Danda, complaining that the party leadership had used and humiliated them during integration into the Nepal Army and the party has humiliated them again. They also warned the leadership not to engage in the ‘politics of lies’.

Former PLA commanders led by then division commander Kali Bahadur Kham left the meeting hall after he and another division commander, Suk Bahadur Roka Magar, had spoken. They were not allotted time to speak but they forced their way to the front of the rostrum. The meeting was then postponed till Saturday. The former PLA commanders were not in the list of speakers at the meeting.

Former commanders Tej Bahadur Oli, Dhan Bahadur Maski Magar, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, Jiban Budha, Kal Bahadur Nath, Raj Bahadur Budha Magar and Prashant left the CC meeting hall. But Santu Darai, who has been proposed for party politburo membership, did not boycott the meeting.

“We fought in the war and here you are enjoying the interest on our blood, sweat and dreams. You are here because of the sacrifices of the PLA,” a CC member quoted former commander Kham as saying.

“You know what would have been the fate of Prachand [Dahal] and Baburam Bhattarai if we had not fought in the war? Can you imagine?”
According to party CC member Prakash Pokharel, Kham said the leadership ‘used and discarded’ the PLA.

Kham also asked in the meeting hall who among the leadership participated in the war. “Did Dahal and Baburam particiate? Dahal only participated in the second Khara battle which the Maoists lost,” he said.

“Did you [leadership] participate in the war? No. We did. You have come to coach the PLA members on war? I fought in 46 battles in my life. And you leaders?” another CC member quoted Kham as saying at the meeting.

After Dahal presented his proposal at the meeting, former division commander Suk Bahadur Roka Magar was the first to object.

“We shouldered you during the war era and now you are leading a lavish life. You humiliated us during the integration and are doing so now also,” a CC member quoted Roka Magar as saying. He also warned Dahal not to engage in the ‘politics of lies’. He said Dahal had assured Roka Magar of the post of commander during the integration but finally sent Yam Bahadur Adhikari instead. He also asked Dahal where he lost his [Roka Magar’s] name which he had announced four times for CC membership. His name is now being proposed for alternative CC member.

After the boycotting of the meeting, Dahal met them at the party office at Paris Danda. He requested them not to boycott and assured them he would address their concerns.

“Dahal requested us not to take the proposal as a decision, arguing that it was difficult to run a party. We said to him that we didn’t want any responsibility given to us only after we ‘reminded’ him,” said Roka Magar.

Not only PLA commanders, Jhakku Prasad Subedi, Dinanath Sharma, Janardan Sharma, Shrawan Yadav and other leaders also expressed strong objections.

Dahal has proposed 9 party office-bearers. Leaving intact the posts of Chairman Dahal, Vice-chairmen Baburam Bhattarai and Narayankaji Shrestha and General Secretary Post Bahadur Bogati, Dahal proposed four secretaries, with the post of senior secretary going to Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Barshaman Pun, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Giriraj Mani Pokharel as the other secretaries and Hisila Yami as treasurer.

Bogati, Mahara and Pun are from the Dahal faction, Rayamajhi and Yami are from the Bhattarai faction and Pokharel is from the Shrestha faction.
Similarly, Dahal proposed a 25-member standing committee and 7-member alternate standing committee. New faces in the standing committee are Agni Sapkota, Haribol Gajurel, Nanda Kishor Pun, Lokendra Bista Magar, Ram Chandra Jha, Bishwabhakta Dulal, Lekhraj Bhatta, Devendra Paudel, Chakrapani Khanal and Gopal Kirati. Similarly, Urmila Aryal, Biswhanath Sah, Hemanta Prakash Oli, Hitaraj Pande, Shrawan Yadav, Prabhu Sah and Sonam Sathi are alternative standing committee members.

Similary, Dahal’s brother Narayan Dahal has been proposed for politburo member and daughter Renu for alternative CC member. Chairman Dahal has proposed a 51-member politburo and 24-member alternative politburo. Dahal also proposed names for 151 full members out of a membership of 299 members for now, including the alternative members. The CC should eventually have a full strength of 399 members.
The next CC meeting has been called for Saturday.
from Republica

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