CPN-Maoist forms 51-member CC

KIRAN PUN

KATHMANDU, Jan 16: The seventh general convention of the CPN-Maoist that concluded on Tuesday formed a 51-member new Central Committee (CC) with Mohan Baidya as the chairman.

All office bearers of the previous CC have retained their positions in the new CC. CP Gajurel has retained his position as vice-chairman, Ram Bahadur Thapa as general secretary, Dev Gurung and Netra Bikram Chand as secretaries.



The convention on Tuesday elected a 43-member CC while eight other members will be nominated later. Mausam Limbu and Laxman Panta are the only new faces in the new CC.

The convention was extended for two days to elect new CC members. Party sources said around 300 names were recommended but after failing to elect new members the old committee was given continuity by keeping eight posts vacant for new members.

Three CC members -- Krishna Dhoj Khadka, Rekha Sharma and Kumar Dahal -- had walked out of the convention expressing disagreement with the party´s political line. They quit the CC voluntarily and were not present when the new CC was announced.

The general convention endorsed the party´s previous political line of launching “people´s revolt” on the foundations of the decade long “people´s war” as proposed by party chairman Mohan Baidya, on Sunday.

While stating that the circumstances would determine if the party would go for immediate armed struggle, the convention has decided to take two-pronged policy of armed and unarmed struggle for the realization of the party´s goals.

The political line endorsed by the general convention holds significance because the UCPN (Maoist) party had split over the political line that Baidya had proposed. While Baidya-led group had insisted on launching a people´s revolt, factions led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai lobbied for “peace and constitution”.

Similarly, some youth leaders have expressed disagreement with the party´s political line and retention of old faces in the new CC. They also claimed they were not allowed to register their note of descent.

"No new policies were introduced nor are there any new members in the new CC. It would be better to call it a plenum than a convention,” questioned Ramdeep Acharya, chairman of the party´s trade union.
from Republica