CPN (Maoist) expels two of its central leaders

March 14, 2006
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A day after two central committee members of the CPN (Maoist), Rabindra Shrestha and `Anukul’ alias Mani Thapa, publicly criticized the party leadership of “ideological deviation,” Maoist chairman Prachanda said both of them have been expelled from the party for indulging in “counter-revolutionary activities.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Maoist supremo Prachanda alleged that Shrestha and Thapa duo– who were expelled from the central committee of the party a few days back—will be considered as renegades for “serving the cause of the royal government.”

He said the party was investigating reports about suspicious activities of Shrestha when he was under custody.

Said to be in-charge of the Maoist organization in the capital valley, Shrestha was arrested in November 2001 and was released after nearly two years during the second round of failed peace talks between the government and the Maoists.

Prachanda also refused to respond to specific allegations leveled by the two dissident leaders.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, Shrestha and Thapa who were earlier politburo members of the party leveled personal and ideological allegations against party chairman Prachanda alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal and another senior leader of the party, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.

In their statement issued on behalf of the little known “New Cultural Revolutionary Group,” Shrestha and Anukul narrated how ideological, political, organizational, military and cultural deflections had taken place among two top leaders of the party.

They alleged them of spending most of their time in a “foreign country” and not sending their children to the battlefield. They also accused Prachanda of turning soft towards monarchy against the party’s policy.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with the BBC Nepali Service on Tuesday, Shrestha said he would continue to fight against the party’s leadership from within the party. When asked if they would be going for a splinter party, Shrestha said, “If our appeals are not heard, we may be forced to look for an alternative.”