Several leaders of UCPN (Maoist), the junior partner in the ruling coalition, have concluded that the government has failed to address the political problems and deliver services to the people effectively.

Presenting their reports on Saturday to the party’s Central Committee, heads of the party’s seven provincial and sister organisations charged the party’s ministers in the government with failing to meet public aspirations. Even as the government faces extensive criticism, the party appears unlikely though to leave the Cabinet anytime soon.

According to Central Committee member Hemraj Bhandari, heads of the party’s provincial units painted a dismal picture of the party ministers’ performance. There are eight Maoist ministers in the Cabinet.

“There are reports that some heads of the party’s district committees are resigning, expressing dissatisfaction over the government’s performance,” said Bhandari. “Cadres at the grassroots have got no feeling of their party being in the government though we hold some important ministries,” said a leader requesting anonymity.

Leaders Biswonath Sah and Lila Mani Pokhrel among others accused the government of delay in addressing the demands of the Madhes-based parties and the Tharus, which, they say, will complicate the implementation of the new constitution.

Earlier, the party had instructed its ministers to improve their work. Of late, relations between the CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist) have soured on the issue of war-era cases. Dahal has expressed his dissatisfaction at the government for not taking adequate steps to ensure that war-era cases are dealt with exclusively by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Maoist leaders believe that either the government should drastically improve its performance or the party should quit it.

Meanwhile, the party’s Standing Committee decided to form an organisational department headed by General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara. The decision will come into force after endorsement from the Central Committee. The heads of 

the seven provincial committees will serve as members of the department. Earlier, the party had launched a three-month campaign to rebuild its organisation.

The party also formed a committee led by Barsha Man Pun to make suggestions for amending its statute. The Maoists are preparing to hold a general convention after a section of leaders under Baburam Bhattarai defected to form the Naya Shakti. Another prominent agenda of the Central Committee is unification with the breakaway Maoist factions.

Though the UCPN (Maoist) chairman is keen to reunite with the Mohan Baidya-led party there has been no substantial progress due to ideological differences. There have been several rounds of talks between UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baidya with little headway. After a long break, the party is holding its CC meeting which will continue on Sunday as well.