Nepal Maoists face 'threat' from within and outside

Nepal’s ruling Maoist party is faced with fresh threat from within and outside with a hardliner faction threatening split and opposition parties demanding government’s removal.

Updated on: Jun 2, 2012, 01:30:23 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal’s ruling Maoist party is faced with fresh threat from within and outside with a hardliner faction threatening split and opposition parties demanding government’s removal.

On Friday, vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, leader of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) hardliner faction, announced that preparations are underway to form a new party.

“Rather than calling it split, it would be unity among those like-minded sharing an ideological position and separation from opportunists,” he stated while addressing a press conference.

The hardliner faction which had held a two-day meeting of members close to Baidya have called for a national gathering on June 15 to decide its future course of action.

Blaming the Baburam Bhattarai government for dissolution of Constituent Assembly and announcement of fresh election, Baidya sought a round table meeting of all parties to complete the constitution drafting process and discuss formation of a national unity government.

To counter the Baidya faction, the establishment faction led by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has called a central committee meeting of the party on June 29.

On the other hand, 19 opposition parties led by Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) have united to topple the government.

In a statement issued after a meeting at CPN (UML) office in Kathmandu on Friday, they announced protest programmes beginning June 8 against the government’s decision to hold fresh elections on November 22.

Accusing Bhattarai of using unconstitutional means to “cling to power”, they urged the Prime Minister to step down immediately and make way for formation of a national unity government.

Failing to draft the new constitution with the May 27 deadline, Bhattarai had announced fresh elections to elect a new Constituent Assembly last week.

Though he claimed that the government enjoyed executive powers, Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav has termed it caretaker.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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