KATHMANDU, Nov 17: With the Gorkha plenum of the UCPN(M) fast approaching, central leaders of the party here have started lobbying separately for Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairmen Mohan Baidya and Baburam Bhattarai in different parts of the country.
According to our correspondent from Butwal, Bhattarai is in the forefront when it comes to lobbying in the Awadh State Committee (ASC). Maoist Rupandehi district deputy in-charge Madhav Sharma, who had worked for a long time in the Bhattarai camp, said, “Party cadres are lining up in support of Bhattarai as his ideological line is the kind that can drive the party in the right direction and end the current political impasse.”
According to sources, the unexpected participation of cadres in lobbying for Bhattarai has raised spirits among his supporters. Party deputy in-charge Basanta Shrestha, who has been lobbying for Baidya, admitted that cadres supporting Dahal´s line are fewer here like elsewhere.
ASC comprises Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts of Lumbini Zone. ASC deputy in-charge and politburo member Devendra Paudel, central committee members Bamdev Chhetri and Bhakti Pandey and secretary Nirmal Kumar Bhattarai are lobbying openly for Bhattarai.
Likewise, lawmakers from Rupandehi Ghanashyam Yadav and Sharada Ghimire and lawmakers from Nawalparasi Chinak Kurmi and Sita Baudel have intensified their lobbying for Bhattarai. Kapilvastu deputy in-charge Ram Lautan Chaudhari and party leader Kamal Chudali; Rupandehi deputy in-charge Madhav Sharma and secretary Yagya Pokharel; and Nawalparasi deputy in-charge Moti Rijal, Jagannath Acharya and secretary Raju Harijan are also lobbying for Bhattarai.
Those lobbying for Baidya are central member Kishan Sharma, Nawalparasi in-charge Bala Thapa, deputy in-charge Dorna Siwakoti and Sushila; Rupandehi deputy in-charge Basanta Shrestha; and Kapilvastu in-charge Bir Jung, deputy in-charge Bhesh Raj Bhusal and secretary Anup.
Shrestha said, “We feel that the party is trying to move forward disregarding the people´s revolt and weaknesses have surfaced in the peace process. Baidhya´s ideological line is appropriate for moving the party ahead.”
Those lobbying for Dahal include Rupandehi in-charge Hakiullah Khan, party leader Bishnu Belbase, YCL leader Munal, Milan and Nawalparasi deputy in-charge Bhabiswar Tiwari.
Party central adviser in the region Thakur Chaulagain alone is in Dahal´s camp. Other advisers Binod Upadhyaya, Bishnu Sharma and Ram Chandra Bhattarai have intensified their lobbying for Bhattarai.
As soon as party leader Suresh Singh went back after lobbying for Dahal, other party leaders Janardan Sharma and Chandra Prakash Khanal have arrived here. Khanal, who is deputy commander of PLA combatants, was earlier in the Bhattarai camp.
During the plenum, 239 cadres will be participating from ASC.
Meantime, UCPN(M) standing committee member Barsa Man Pun on Tuesday night initiated discussions at the Ilam cantonment over Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal´s political document in a bid to strengthen Dahal´s line, according to our correspondent from Itahari.
Pun also lobbyed for Dahal with party cadres at Birtamod and Itahari before returning to Kathmandu on Wednesday.
A party leader close to the Dahal camp said, “After Pun had discussions with the cadres, confusion in their minds has been cleared.”
Earlier, Kochila State Committee (KSC) coordinator Hari Bol Gajurel had lobbied for Dahal.
KSC deputy in-charge Ganga Narayan Shrestha has opposed Pun´s lobbying for Dahal.
According to our Jhapa correspondent, party cadres from the Dahal and Baidhya camps have intensified their lobbying among the cadres. However, Bhattarai supporters have been silent after holding a meeting in Biratnagar.
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