Kathmandu, May 20
What’s the connection between a group of youths sporting red caps at Babar Mahal and unity of 10 Maoist splinter groups with the UPCN-Maoist? In the worst case scenario, it may be an early indication of oncoming clashes between the CPN-Maoist Centre formed after unification of Maoist factions and those factions that chose to give the unity bus a miss.
Back in Babar Mahal, those red-cap youths were not taking part in a fashion parade. They were cadres of Biplav’s Maoist party, probably bussed to the Capital from outside, a day after the formal unification of Maoist factions and the UCPN-Maoist. And they were there to take part in a public gathering (read show of strength) that Biplav’s Maoist party was organising, at Khula Manch (Open Theatre).
Some of the red-cap youths were talking with police personnel deployed there. With roads leading to Singhadurbar shut, they were apparently exploring the route through which they could march to Khula Manch.
Maoist leaders Dharmendra Banstola and Krishna Adhikari were there, too.
And we asked them about the merger of smaller Maoist factions with the Prachanda-led UCPN-Maoist.
Adhikari described the ‘unification’ as an alliance of rightists.
It should be noted that Biplav Maoists showed their strength a day after unification of UCPN-Maoist and other Maoist forces/factions.
But this show of strength was not organised in haste, it was long time in coming.
Adhikari said Mohan Baidhya, president of the CPN-Revolutionary Maoist minus its Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal faction, had sent his greetings for Biplav Maoists’ programme.
Plan Baburam
While Biplav Maoists were busy with their public gathering at Khula Manch, Baburam Bhattarai, former Maoist leader and leader of Naya Shakti Nepal, was not sitting idle. He was hosting a press conference at Naya Shakti headquarters in Babar Mahal.
The event was meant to inform all and sundry about the plan to formally announce the birth of Naya Shakti Nepal in the last week of Jestha.
This points at heightened activities of Biplav and Bhattarai. The two are becoming quite active at a time when the largest Maoist party has brought smaller Maoist parties and faction into its fold.
What’s more, Bhattarai plans to show the strength of his party in the Capital in two weeks from now.
Conflict on cards?
Prachanda’s call to return to the mother party has had no effect on Bhattarai, Baidhya and Biplav. And the youths gathered at Babar Mahal show that clashes between the UCPN-Maoist and its splinters is a real possbility. With Prachanda appearing to be gaining strength, Bhattarai, Biplav and Kiran face the challenge of preventing their cadres from hopping onto the unification bandwagon.
Naya Shakti campaigner Devendra Poudel says: We cannot rule out the possibility of some of our cadres joining Prachanda. But there’s also the chance of those dissatisfied with unification coming to our fold.
