Dahal moots Bhattarai as senior leader in hierarchy row

KATHMANDU, July 17: With a view to settle a hierarchy row within the party after Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai ´sacrificed´ his post, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has proposed making Bhattarai a senior leader of the party.



Dahal made the proposal at a meeting with party office-bearers, former standing committee members and bureau coordinators held on Tuesday to finalize the political paper and agenda for the party´s extended meeting scheduled to start from July 19.[break]



A party leader participating in the meeting that took place at Dahal´s residence in Lazimpat, said Dahal proposed for Dr Bhattarai a new party responsibility as senior leader. This honorary post, however, won´t carry any executive authority.



Once the chairman´s proposal is formally endorsed by the party meeting on Thursday, Bhattarai will be referred to as senior leader of the party.

Sources, however, said Dr Bhattarai is still reluctant to accept any such title and is sticking to his previous stance. Bhattarai has been maintaining that all office-bearers except Chairman Dahal should continue as central committee members until the forthcoming Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.



Bhattarai´s stance, however, has irked the faction led by Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha as well as party Secretary Post Bahadur Bogati. The Shrestha faction has maintained that Bhattarai floated his stance to minimize Shrestha´s role in the party.



Earlier, the party had decided to hold a special general convention to resolve the internal dispute over key posts if the upcoming central plenum failed to resolve the row.



Besides the work division of senior leaders in the party, the meeting on Tuesday also held detailed discussions on the party´s election preparations, finalizing its political paper and settling the agenda for the party´s extended meeting.



"Chairman Dahal´s political paper talks about how to mobilize party leaders and what sort of responsibilities to be given to them in the forthcoming CA elections," said a leader participating in the meeting.



Party spokesperson Agni Sapkota said that Dahal presented agenda matters at the meeting, particularly focusing on the forthcoming CA election slated for November 19.

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