KATHMANDU, NOV 11 - After the ruling parties snubbed the meeting of the Political Committee that he had called, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal embarked on a weeklong visit of Rolpa on Monday, pushing the stalled constitution drafting process to the brink by crippling cross-party negotiations.
Maoist leaders read the move as Dahal’s tit-for-tat response to ruling parties and a hint of the slim chances of agreement on the contentious issues of constitution-writing. According to Dahal’s secretariat, he will spend one week in mid-western districts, a heartland of the Maoist insurgency that lasted over a decade.
If there had been a positive gesture from the ruling parties, he could have cancelled the visit but there are no signs of rapprochement, Maoist leaders said. Two days ago, Dahal, as the Political Committee (PC) chairman, called its meeting, promising “closed and focussed talks” on the outstanding issues. The ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML refused to attend the meet saying that the body is not mandated to discuss issues of constitution writing.
Feeling “insulted”, Dahal decided to move out instead. Leaders close to him say Dahal will not attend the PC meeting and cross-party dialogue as the ruling parties “did not recognise” the committee formed to facilitate the remaining tasks of the peace process.
“The [Maoist] chairman is of the view that there is no meaning of talks as the ruling parties refused to attend the PC meeting,” said Dahal’s press assistant Shiva Khakurel. He claimed that Dahal notified the top leaders of other parties about his visit.
Dahal has often said it is impossible to reach consensus at the crowded PDCC. He suggests discussing the disputes at the Political Committee in an arrangement whereby an informal agreement reached at the PC could be formalised by the PDCC later.
Ruling party leaders said Dahal’s visit is a mark of his lack of commitment to promulgate a new constitution by January 22. “He wants to prolong the process by rendering the PDCC ineffective,” said UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali. “He fears that the PDCC can forward our proposal [to the CA] any time. He does not even fully trust Baburam Bhattarai [PDCC chairman].” The PDCC is set to resume its business on Tuesday but there has been no agreement on the approach to the disputed issues. After pressure, Bhattarai has called a meeting of the PDCC to discuss the proposal tabled by the NC and the UML together with some fringe parties.
Leaders charge that the PDCC will merely be a platform for parties to express views and it will not produce any positive results. Bhattarai announced the meeting after consultation with PM Sushil Koirala, Maoist Chairman Dahal and UML Chairman KP Oli. “We won’t let the NC and the UML send their proposal to the CA at any cost,” said Maoist leader Shakti Basnet.
Despite gaping differences, some leaders are working to find common ground on the contentious issues. UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, UCPN (M) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula are working to explore a compromise.
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