Between extremism and opportunism

From The Nepali Press
Between extremism and opportunism
Saroj Dahal in Himal Khabarpatrika, 17-31 August

FROM ISSUE #517 (27 AUG 2010 - 02 SEPT 2010) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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The battle raging between Lalrakchyak monthly (which supports Maoist supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal) and the Samayabadha bimonthly (which supports Mohan Baidya) clearly points to mounting internal tension within the party. Though the comments seem to pit Dahal and Baidya against each other, there is another common target here: Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai. Factionist politics in the UCPN (Maoist) has led leaders to brand each other extremist, opportunist and rightist, while the country is held hostage to their infighting.

Leaders are still divided over whether to support the constituent assembly or to go for a revolution to establish a people's republic. Bhattarai wants to pursue the first path as was decided in the 12-point understanding and so is criticised by the hardliners in the party for being rightist. Baidya sees the current change as meaningless and wants to revert to the extreme leftism of the past. In between them is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who swings between both lines, using the conflict between the two factions to his strategic advantage. A Central Committee member close to the Baidya group says that even though Dahal favours Baidya during decision making, he supports the 'rightists' while implementing policy.

Both Baidya and Bhattarai are equally frustrated by the opportunism of Dahal. They are planning to bring out written proposals based on their respective lines at the party meeting scheduled for 19 August. They have reached the conclusion that a party convention is inevitable. A politburo member close to Bhattarai says," One person reigning for 20 years in the name of communist centralisation has led to wrong practices in the party."

Dahal has come under fire in his own party for using cheap tactics like buying MPs and accepting the idea of a cultural king in order to become prime minister. Vice Chairman Baidya writes in a party publication, "We are basically revolutionary and on the right track but are facing serious philosophical problems. Our principles say one thing but our practices are quite the opposite. Our ideals do not match our actions."

1. Gole
Mohan Baidya is the Charu Mazumdar.

Baburam Bhattarai is the Jyoti Basu.

Puspa Kamal Dahal is the soldier of fortune Prachanda, he sets his own pace.--a Tathagata,but never a gata gata , he has satyr like appetite fpr power and wealth.
We are waiting for a Dung Tsaio Peng or one Mister Godot?

Posted on: 28 AUG 2010 | 4:22 PM NST

2. Rajaram
Puspa Kamal Dahal's flirtation and romance with Gyanendra reminds me of Jung Bahadur Rana.s usurping the power in the past.
He got himself declared the Prime Minister, after installing Surendra Bicram as King, removing Rajendra Bicram. Later he got himself declared the Maharaja, after getting the Rajaship of Lamjung and Kaski.
But he made the King as a powerless dummy; got the King,s Badapatra, the Red Box(Lal Bo. The King was made to stamo the Lal Mohur only on some special acts. Maharaja was the defacto rular, his Khadga Nisana was the cabinet decision. Jung was the Supreme Commander-in- Chief ofthe army. Ranas became the Soguns like in Japan,who ruled on behalf of the king.
Dahal is trying to repeat the same history by recreating the cultural monarchy.

Gyanendra can be Surendrain a silver and gold throne but bound by golden rope. Dahal will be Jung or Franco and rule like the great dictator.
He is a great schemer.

chances as per time, space and present political situation can turn him into Deva Sharma the Kripan brahmin of the Hitopadesha.. We are waiting to see him hit with a stick his dream wife , instead he hits the earthen pot filled with sattu, it breaks and spills every where . He smashes not only one but many pots.. So his dream remains un fufilled.;his plan was to get richer and richer by selling the sattu during the imagined famine at exorbitant price at his dream sequence.
ONE who rejoices,
On thinking of something ,
That has not yet taken place,Is censured like a Brahmin., who broke a pot..... .

s

Posted on: 29 AUG 2010 | 6:57 PM NST