“After the Maoists, the Nepali Congress (NC) should lead the government on a rotational basis. We are currently discussing the issue,” said Dahal speaking at a function organized by revolutionary journalists in Banepa.[break]
The Maoist chairman had reached Banepa to train the cadres on the party´s latest strategy.
Speaking to the journalists after the function, Dahal said the political parties are under tremendous pressure due to the fast approaching deadline for promulgation of the new constitution. “It will be better to think about the formation of a national consensus government,” he said.
According to him, the Hattiban talks have been focusing on the issue of constitution drafting. “We will settle the contentious issues in the next four days and then begin talks over the formation of a national consensus government,” he said.
Dahal also dismissed media reports that the parties have reached some secret understanding on the issue of state restructuring. “We will not strike any agreement on the federal map without addressing the issue of identity,” he said.
He said NC has pressed for six provinces, UML seven, and UCPN (Maoist) for 14 provinces.
Dahal also criticized the party hardline faction for arguing that he betrayed the revolution by sending the Nepal Army (NA) to the cantonments and said these people could not understand the epoch-making political change.
“These people still saw the NA as their enemy, while I saw the army as our own. Both PLA and NA are republicans. It is a matter of pride that both these armies have merged. It is sad that our own friends still see the NA as their enemy,” he said. Dahal also termed the faction led by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya as “dogmatist”.
“Baidyaji and his supporters are inviting anarchism,” he said, adding that the hardliners are in a wait and see mood. He also claimed that the Baidya faction went against the government for not getting plum ministries.
Protest army integration: Chand to cadres
JAJARKOT: UCPN (Maoist) Standing Committee Member Netra Bikram Chand has directed the party cadres to protest the party´s move to bring the Maoist combatants, cantonments and arms under the control of the Nepal Army (NA).
A party cadre in Jajarkot informed that Chand, while training around 200 Baidya-faction cadres on Tuesday, directed the cadres to protest the party´s move that forced the PLA to surrender. According to Maoist Jajarkot in-charge Gagan Khadka, Chand said the integration process has humiliated PLA.
Chanda had secretly arrived in Jajarkot on Monday night to form parallel committees against the party establishment. Chand said Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai should quit the party as they betrayed the revolution.
Related story
Nat'l consensus govt a must to resolve existing problems: Mahat
