Party headed for split: Badal

KIRAN PUN
KATHMANDU, April 30: General Secretary of the UCPN (M) and a senior leader from the rebel faction Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal' said Monday that his faction would ultimately form another party but were waiting to see what kind of constitution would be promulgated before taking such a move.

Addressing a national gathering of the students close to the faction, Thapa also claimed there was no longer any ideological base that connected them with the party establishment led by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

"It should not be limited to a just ideological group of Kiran [Mohan Baidya] and we are moving toward forming a new party. All ideological bases that made it possible for us to walk with Dahal have vanished. Only some issues remain to be completed. So, we should wait until May 27," ANNISU-R Vice-chairman Sharad Rasaili quoted Thapa as telling the gathering.
The gathering was organized by the rebel faction in its bid to chart out the strategy of students close to it and afiliated with All Nepal National Independent Student Union- Revolutionary (ANNISU-R). The faction has already held national gathering of people´s volunteers and ex-PLA, and formed parallel committees. But the gathering of the students refrained from forming a parallel committee.

"Dahal deviated from the spirit of sacrifice. They surrendered and have taken a wrong path," another participant quoted Thapa as saying.

Thapa was critical of the ongoing differences among parties on contentious issues of the constitution writing and even termed them as deliberate drama. He was of the view that the issues had already been settled and the parties were engaged in a sham negotiation just to show to the people.

"Dahal and Bhattrai gave up all agendas of the Maoists and surrendered to the parliamentary forces. They will do what parliamentary parties want. So, there is no possibility of the country getting a people´s constitution," another participant quoted Thapa as saying.

Thapa also told the gathering that they would announce a movement after evaluating the text of the constitution.

During the training session, party standing committee member and student faction in-charge Netra Bikarm Chand urged the student to be prepared for "people´s revolt".

"It has become clear to some extent of Dahal and Bhattarai´s surrender to the reactionary forces and we have to go to the people and tell the full story," another participant quoted Chand as saying.  
from Republica English Daily Newspaper