The largest party of the country UCPN-Maoist has officially split after the senior vice chairman Mohan Baidya led faction passed draft constitution of the new party on Monday at their national conclave in the capital. The two days national conclave of the dissident faction saw an overwhelming call for a split from most of the participants. The new party is named Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist which will be chaired by senior leader and ideologue Mohan Baidya. Another leader Ram Bahadur Thapa has been appointed the general secretary and CP Gajurel the secretary. The party is holding press conference in the capital tomorrow to declare the formation of the party.

“We have already declared new party in the closed session and will make official announcement tomorrow.”, informed Pampha Bhusal who is one of the prominent member of the faction. Bhusal said that the decision to split was not an easy one as there was deep emotional attachment with the parent party but political and ideological difference had become too deep and irreconcilable. Says Bhusal, “ We will not go back to the jungle but we will also not accept parliamentary system.”

The Maoist establishment faction had been requesting Baidya not to split the party and bring proposal of unity in the next party meeting which the dissident faction rejected. Although the party leaders may still try to talk to the leaders in Baidya camp, the parent party seems to have resigned to the fact that the split is inevitable.

However, some leaders from the dissident faction have said that the group should have continued their struggle within the party instead of splitting. “Entire progressive movement of the country has been affected by the split and it is very sad that we could not prevent it.”, said Sashi Serchan who walked out of the national conclave.