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Nepal: Internal differences in the Maoist party - What next?

South Asian Analysis - November 19, 2008

Dr. S. Chandrasekharan. – Serious differences between Prachanda and Mohan Baidya's faction have come out into the open in the Central Committee meeting that started yesterday 17th November.

This meeting is in preparation for the National Cadres Conference to be held from 20th onwards. While the proceedings are said to be secret, some in the media have already got hold of the two parallel reports one being presented by Prachanda and another by Mohan Baidya.

This shows that the differences that surfaced soon after the Chumbang Plenum at Rolpa in 2005 and before the twelve point agreement facilitated by India with other major political parties are reaching the high tide now. Taking a leaf out of Mao's thoughts, C.P. Gajural said on 23rd October that various differences and opinions do arise within the party and he defined his party as "unity of opposites."

While commenting on the laws of dialectical materialism, Mao viewed his party as a "unity of opposites." He had also said that only by waging a "two line struggle" the party can advance. According to Mao the two line struggle essentially is a struggle against erroneous ideas.

At least from Baidya's perspective, a two line struggle is already going on. It is unlikely that the struggle would degenerate into describing some as "class enemies" and expelling them. This will not only create confusion in the lower ranks of the party but will also have an adverse impact on the peace process.

Prachanda in his report has dwelt on four issues:

The need to give continuity to the peace process.
Importance of completing the new constitution
Adjustment of the PLA as per the pacts entered into with the government earlier.
State restructuring and institutionalising the newly established republic.

Mohan Baidya in his parallel report has mentioned the following:

Stressed the need to end all remnants of 'feudalism and imperialism' and establishing a 'new People's republic' so that the supremacy of the proletariat can be ensured.
The party should now launch something similar to the 'cultural revolution' (We all know what it meant in China and how China was brought to near collapse)
The struggle the party had waged will not be allowed to conclude with a compromise with reactionaries ending in cosmetic reforms.
The Nepali Congress is a party that represents the elements of feudal and comprador capitalism.
It is the right time to launch people's revolt as the class enemies are passing through "an unprecedented " crisis.(There will be total chaos)
the party would plunge into "a parliamentary quagmire" if the federal democratic republic is taken as a panacea for all the social ills.
The party appears to be giving more importance to dialogues than people's struggle.
Political policies pursued by Prachanda are incomplete, unclear and reform oriented.
The party's revolutionary spirit has become blurred after it formed the government.
The Maoists should quit the government if the party leadership failed to establish a people's republic by bringing together republicans, patriotic and leftist forces (The point is – are other leftists and the so-called patriots willing to align themselves with the Maoists who already claim that theirs is the only communist party in Nepal?)

Though the knives are out, it is still too early to say whether there will be any serious split in the party in the meeting that is to be held on 20th. Prachanda on record has said that communism is not possible now and that they are not also in a situation to give continuity to the traditional form of parliamentary democracy.

It is still unclear to us what Prachanda and Bhattarai mean when they say that they want a type of democracy without a parliamentary system, perhaps similar to the interim constitution. One can sense the discomfiture of the Maoist leaders in agreeing to the nine point agreement with the Nepali Congress on the question of YC, return of seized properties etc. before agreeing to the Appropriation Bill that was passed in the assembly.

Nepali Congress leaders like Chakra Bastola maintain that people's republic is a form of dictatorship of communism. Some even question their interpretation of the term competitive democracy which perhaps would mean a selective and not an all inclusive democracy.

Prachanda in his report has given three options for the party to choose- People's republic, a Federal democratic republic and finally a middle of the road- transitional democracy. Perhaps they may choose the last one as a compromise though the transition could take ten, fifty or even a hundred years!