Saran sows dissent within Maoists

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy Shyam Saran left Nepal on Friday after a three day visit. But it exposed fresh fissures among Maoists—the country’s biggest political party, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Aug 9, 2010, 23:26:17 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy Shyam Saran left Nepal on Friday after a three-day visit. But it exposed fresh fissures among Maoists — the country's biggest political party.

A verbal duel has started between factions loyal to Maoist chief Puspa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and his deputy Baburam Bhattarai over the leaders' separate meetings with Saran.

During his trip, the former foreign secretary tried to resolve the political impasse by holding talks with leaders of all major parties.

After meeting the Maoist leadership on Thursday, he had another meeting with Bhattarai.

Maoist standing committee member Barsa Man Pun told BBC that the party would "seek clarification from Bhattarai over the meeting at a time when he is seen as pro-Indian inside the party." But, Bhattarai faction said the former finance minister had met Saran on Prachanda's instructions.

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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