CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal told his party members on Saturday that there were “some procedural lapses” while taking the decision of forging a left electoral alliance with the CPN-UML and the Naya Shakti Nepal.

The three forces on Tuesday announced a left electoral alliance, sending across a message of ultimately bringing all the communist forces under one umbrella. 

During the party’s politburo meeting and political training on Saturday, Dahal admitted that forging the alliance without putting the matter for discussion at any of the committees of the party, which is a routine procedure, was a mistake. Leaders including Barshaman Pun had questioned the leadership about what he called “a surprising and abrupt announcement”. 

“It was obvious on the part of the leaders to express dissatisfaction… as the decision that can impact the life of the party has come out of nowhere,” a leader quoted Pun as saying during the meeting. 

Dahal, however, tried to defend the move, saying the decision to forge an alliance with the UML was a result of “extreme pressure and compulsion”. He also made it clear that the decision of such a huge importance should have been taken after holding extensive discussions at different party committees. “But that could not happen,” he said.

The left alliance, leaders of both the UML and Maoist Centre have said, is a precursor to a unified “communist force”.

On Saturday, Dahal told his party members that he himself had proposed unity between the Maoist Centre and the UML when the latter had come up with the proposal of forging an electoral alliance. 

Though a section of leaders expressed their dissatisfaction at not discussing the issue within the party before the announcement, all Maoist Centre leaders were of the view that there had been some problems with the party’s partnership with the Nepali Congress and that a left alliance was but required. 

Dahal’s “pressure and compulsion” argument on Saturday stems from the fact that the Maoist Centre, which has gone through highs and lows since it joined the mainstream politics in 2006, of late had been finding itself cast adrift.

Despite emerging as the single largest party in the first Constituent Assembly elections in 2008, the party lost its sheen by the time the second CA elections were held, when it faced a drubbing. 

And the recent local level elections did the rest, as its showing remained poor in all the provinces.

‘Ready to quit govt if PM wants’

KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Saturday that the party does not intend to topple the government even though it has formed an electoral alliance with the CPN-UML.

Addressing the Parliamentary Party on Saturday, Dahal said the Maoist Centre, however, would quit the government if “Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba wants so”.

The Maoist Centre is key coalition partner of the Deuba government and it has been facing criticism for staying in the government despite forging an alliance with the main opposition. “We are not for affecting the polls by toppling the government. However, if the prime minister and his party, the Nepali Congress, ask us to leave, we won’t continue in the government,” said Dahal, adding that the party’s “only mission at this time is both the federal and provincial polls on the scheduled dates”. (PR)