In UML Split, Maoist Centre Sees Chance at Regaining Its Relevance
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WI THOUT F EAR O R F A V O U R Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 186 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.4 C 14.0 C Monday, August 23, 2021 | 07-05-2078 Janakpur Jomsom In UML split, Maoist Centre sees chance at regaining its relevance As Madhav Nepal moves to register new party, the former rebel party, under threat of being wiped out of political scene, appears to be major beneficiary besides Congress. TIKA R PRADHAN Observers say while the Nepali KATHMANDU, AUG 22 Congress is likely to make a comeback after its massive loss in the 2017 elec- Once registered with the Election tions as the first party due to the UML Commission, Madhav Nepal’s CPN split, the Maoist Centre can make an (Unified Socialist) party is most likely attempt to prove its relevance. to extend support to the Sher Bahadur “A split in the UML was Dahal’s Deuba government, in return for some interest, rather than Deuba’s. That’s ministerial berths. Nepal has already why Maoist chair Dahal was making a applied for registration after splitting push for it,” said Lok Raj Baral, a pro- from the CPN-UML, which he led for fessor of political science. 15 years from 1993 to 2008. Nepal’s “There is a realisation in the Maoist decision to part ways with KP Sharma Centre that its relevance is over and it Oli, the UML chair, makes Deuba, or does not have any agenda to sell dur- the Nepali Congress for that matter, ing the elections.” the beneficiary. According to Baral, the Maoist However, in the long run, the party Centre now will try to forge an alli- that is going to benefit is the ance with Nepal as well as the Janata Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Samajbadi Party led by Upendra Centre) and the leader that is going to Yadav and Baburam Bhattarai. POST PHOTO: KESHAV THAPA have a field day is its leader “It’s always good for parties like the Workers construct a sewer manhole at Sitapaila in Kathmandu on Sunday. Pushpa Kamal Dahal. After the Maoist Centre when the direct com- Supreme Court on March 7 petitor is weakened,” said Baral. revived the Maoist Centre and The Maoist Centre has already the UML, invalidating the Nepal launched initiatives to explore the Communist Party (NCP) they possibilities of forging a left alliance had formed in May 2018 after a with like-minded forces. INSIDE Socialist centre in merger, Dahal was looking for a On Sunday, the party’s Standing plank for survival. Competing Committee meeting decided to forge with a strong UML, which has a unity of revolutionary forces, if possi- Surma Sarovar sees thousands strong organisational base ble, or at least an alliance, after of devotees despite pandemic Nepal: A realistic vision across the country at various strengthening the party’s organisa- levels, during elections would tional structures. BAJHANG: Health officials in Bajhang have been an uphill task for him. >> Continued on page 2 have rung the warning bells for the spread of coronavirus in the district given the recent influx of people to or an ambitious idea? Surma Sarovar Lake to observe the annual festival of Birijaat Mela in the Some politicians, including Baburam Bhattarai, a former middle of a still-raging pandemic. The five-day affair started on August Maoist leader, have been making a pitch for bringing 18 and culminated on August 22. “The preparations for the festival started like-minded forces to build a new model of socialism. 15 days prior to the festival. The foot- fall in Chainpur, the district head- with the Election Commission, which quarters, alone was in the thousands have the “socialist” tag. in the last two weeks of those en Bhattarai’s call for a socialist centre route to Surma Sarovar Lake,” said appears to be an attempt to bring the Narayan Joshi, information officer at scattered communists under one roof. Bajhang Health Office in Jaya Prithvi “Our country has been ruled by Municipality. “Gathering in one place traditional forces like the Congress to celebrate a festival in times like and communist parties but they have these is dangerous.” (Details on Pg 2) failed to bring about any substantial changes,” said Bhattarai in an inter- Festive season is here. Experts view with the Post. “So I have been proposing a new urge caution against virus kind of socialist force in the country KATHMANDU: It’s 8am at Samakhusi that can really transform the nation in on Sunday, the Janai Purnima festival the changed context.” ON also known as Rakshya Bandhan. An I Not many may counter Bhattarai’s awareness message about Covid-19 is idea. That the Congress and commu- repeating on a loudspeaker at the nist forces—the UML and the Maoist Metropolitan Police Circle saying ILLUSTRAT POST Centre—have ruled the country for ‘don’t come out of your homes, main- decades ever since democracy was tain a distance of at least two metres ANIL GIRI restored in 1990 is a fact. It would be from people, wear a mask, don’t cause KATHMANDU, AUG 22 wrong to say the country has not seen crowding....’Signboards with similar any changes over the decades, but sta- messages line the walls of the help Baburam Bhattarai, a former prime tus quoism does continue. Even after desk set up in front of the circle. But minister, former Maoist leader and the promulgation of the constitution, a few meters away from the circle, on currently a senior leader of the Janata transforming the country into a feder- the roadside at Ranibari, four priests Samajbadi Party, recently called for al secular republic, threats to the are tying Rakshya Bandhan, a sacred bringing “like-minded” forces under achievements persist. The issues of thread, on people’s wrists. There are one umbrella, which he termed a the marginalised have yet to be around 50 people waiting for their socialist centre. resolved. turn. Offering rituals at shrines, “My request to comrades of various According to some leaders from the wearing Raksha Bandhan either from communist parties in Nepal: why has left block, some initial talks did take priests or sisters and changing the the objective of ending all kinds of place between Maoist Centre chair Janai, which is a thread worn across repression and discrimination against Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Bhattarai on the torso by the tagadhari communi- people by people taken a regressive the socialist centre idea and both had ty, and feasting are major parts of the path?” Bhattarai wrote on Twitter, who then discussed the issue within their festival. “I am fully vaccinated with has 1.3 million followers on the social respective parties. two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. media platform. “How will we reach a Dahal too has lately been in talks The virus can’t do me any harm,” new destination by pursuing the same with Madhav Nepal to explore the pos- said Bishnu Hari Adhikari, 61, one of old path? Shall we march towards a sibility of a new “left alliance”, as the the priests as he tied sacred threads new direction with new ideas.” Maoist tag appears to have become a around his clients’ wrists. Only time can tell whether burden for him. (Details on Pg 3) Bhattarai’s idea will get traction at a A Standing Committee meeting of time when communist forces, or leftist the Maoist Centre on Sunday decided politicians for that matter, have been to initiate talks with like-minded left- Goat farming flourishes with scattered. ist and communist forces, including Nepalis eating more meat Bhattarai himself has drifted afar with Nepal, for a larger left unity. after severing his ties with the “We have decided to start talks with SALYAN: Four years ago, Krishna Raj Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist all like-minded leftist parties including Upadhyaya of Sarada Municipality-2, Centre). After forming Naya Shakti, Bhattarai, Nepal, Mohan Baidya, Netra Dadagaun started commercial goat or new force, in June, 2016, he decided Bikram Chand and Gopal Kirati among farming with seven animals. Now he to join hands with Upendra Yadav’s others whose ultimate goal is to estab- has 100 local and Boer goats including Sanghiya Samajbadi Party (or Federal lish socialism,” said Devendra Poudel, kids on his farm. Upadhyaya makes Socialist Party) in 2019. The Sanghiya a Standing Committee member. Rs700,000 annually by rearing goats, Samajbadi then in April last year In the past, Baidya, Bhattarai, which not only covers his household merged with the Rastriya Janata Chand and Kirati were senior leaders expenses, but also allows him to Party to form the Janata Samajbadi of the Maoist party. But after differ- enlarge his savings. He said that he Party, which now has split again. The ences, they gradually deserted the has received further encouragement former chair of the party, Mahantha Maoist Centre. with greater market access. Jibraj Thakur, has applied for a new party— “The objective is to bring the Bohara of Sharda Municipality-8 is Loktanatrik Samajbadi Party Nepal like-minded forces under one roof,” also engaged in goat rearing which is (Democratic Socialist Party Nepal). said Poudel. his major business. He got into com- The CPN-UML, the largest party But whether Dahal and Nepal will mercial goat farming by opening too, has split, with Madhav Nepal share the same platform with Bhattarai Srijanshil Bakhra Farm, and now has applying for a new party proposing is doubtful, as the latter has been mak- 70 goats and kids in a loafing shed.