The CC´s decision has paved the way for the Maoists to join the government as the UML leaders took the decision in a tacit understanding with UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Top UML leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal, KP Sharma Oli and General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel held a meeting with Dahal Monday to forge an understanding to this effect just ahead of UML´s politburo meeting that set out the proposal and forwarded it to the CC.[break]
Though the CC meeting on Tuesday opted not to describe the explanatory notes as an amendment to the agreement, the CC clearly refused to accept the controversial points in the seven-point pact.
Some moderate leaders in the party came up with a mid-way solution as a section of the party led by Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal insisted on endorsing the deal without any amendment while the group led by former prime minister Nepal and KP Sharma Oli objected vehemently to some of the points and wording in the agreement.
The UML leadership called the politburo and CC meetings after the party became clearly divided into two factions over the deal reached secretly between Khanal and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Dahal hours before the prime ministerial election on February 3.
Khanal and Dahal had agreed to form a separate security force comprising Maoist combatants. But the Nepal-Oli camp objected strongly. On the row, the CC said the tasks of the peace process and constitution writing will be advanced through mutual agreement among major political parties in accordance with the Interim Constitution, the Comprehensive Peace Accord and other past pacts. "This explanation is enough to invalidate the clause on separate force mentioned in the seven-point deal," a leader said.
Likewise, on rotational leadership between the Maoist and UML party chiefs, the CC explained that consensus among major parties was essential to deliver peace and constitution. "With this explanation the agreement on rotational leadership has become irrelevant," said UML Spokesperson Pradip Gyawali.
The UML reiterated its stance on ´federal democratic republic´ while rejecting the wording ´people´s inclusive republic´.
Some leaders close to the Nepal-Oli camp said the seven-point agreement was no longer relevant. "Theoretically the deal signed by the two chairmen is alive but practically it is dead," claimed CC member Jagannath Khatiwada.
But the Khanal faction seemed upbeat over the CC´s approval on the deal. They believe the party´s decision paves the way for bringing the Maoists into the government. "They will join the cabinet within a few days," Ghanshyam Bhusal, who is working closely with the prime minister, told Republica. He said the decision helps maintain unity within the UML and good relations with Maoist and other political parties.
According to Bhusal, the decision will come into effect as top UML leaders took it only after reaching an understanding with Dahal on the deal´s main spirit, its objective and the contentious issues.
On the home ministry, the CC didn´t take any decision as the prime minister is committed to settle it amicably in consultation with top party leaders.
According to leaders, Khanal, at the meeting, hinted that he may himself head the home ministry for a few months. "After that the Maoists may also be given the ministry if they become ready to advance the peace process by taking some crucial decision," said Gyawali.
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