“I have heard that the party has decided to dissolve both committees, but retain the one led by Jammakattel to hold another national convention,” Bajgain told Republica.[break]
He stated that it is up to the party leadership to decide whether or not to allow current ANTUF chief Jammakattel to retain the position.
Dissatisfied with Jammakattel´s leadership, Bajagain had formed the parallel committees accusing party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal of turning a blind eye to the financial irregularities committed by Jammakattel.
The rebel union leader Bajgain is close to Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, while Jammakattel is close to Dahal.
The party standing committee meeting last Friday saw heated discussion between Dahal and Baidya over the issue.
Bajgain also stated that his faction would hold a meeting of the Sanghiya Parisad, which consists of central committee members from all branches of Maoist-affiliated unions, as scheduled irrespective of what the party has decided. “You will see, we will hold the meeting with much fanfare,” he said.
According to sources, the party has decided to downsize the current ANTUF Central Committee (CC) from 93 members to 39 members and mandate it with holding the union´s fifth national convention within three months. Similarly, the party also dissolved the parallel committee formed by Bajgain.
The last ANTUF general convention held three years back had elected 39 members. Bajgain faction has accused Jammakattel of turning the CC into a jumbo committee by recruiting those loyal to him.
“The number increased from 39 to 93 after the party was unified with Ekata Kendra two years back. So it is not logical to downsize the CC to 39-member again. I know that the party has taken a decision regarding the union, but I am yet to be officially informed about it,” Jammakattel told Republica.
He said he would, however, abide by the party decision. According to sources, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is holding a meeting with both Jammakattel and Bajgain regarding the party decision.
According to sources, the party has also suspended 11 ANTUF members, including Assistant General Secretary Rajan Timilsina, for six months for beating up two nourishing mothers in Khanna Garment, Lalitpur, over the factional row in the union last January.
Timilsina is close to ANTUF Chief Jammakattel, while the two nourishing mothers are close to Bajgain. “It is victory for us,” said a union leader close to Bajgain.
Dissatisfied with both Jammakattel and Bajgain, the union faction loyal to Dr Baburam Bhattarai, had held a separate meeting at Indreni Food-land at New Baneshwor on Saturday. The Bhattarai group is led by another Union Assistant General Secretary Lal Dhoj Nembang. “We don´t agree with the ways of Bajgain and Jammakattel. So we held a separate meeting,” said a union leader from the Bhattarai camp.
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