Prachanda has yet another bad hair day
Ravi Dhami
PALUNGTAR: UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s situation during today’s discussion in Palungtar became like ‘the pot calling the kettle black’.
Chairman Dahal, who two days ago had charged his deputies with graft, came under fire when participants today levelled allegations against him that his deceitful tricks to woo party cadres revolved around cash and threats.
Representatives, who were commenting on political documents today, accused Dahal of doling out cash to party cadres and threatening them to use YCL members to get them in his favour. At the ongoing plenum of the party in Palungtar, representatives from different state committees are commenting on political documents presented by Chairman Dahal and two Vice Chairmen Mohan Baidhya and Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
Suspicion that Dahal was using money to woo party cadres had grown stronger after some participants found wrapping papers, which had the seal of Nepal Bank Limited, in large numbers in the huts where state committee members are staying. Such papers are used by the bank to secure wads of notes.
While commenting on the documents, Madhav Sharma, who represents Awadh State Committee, claimed that the party chairman tried to influence the cadres by distributing cash. “The chairman should clarify for what purpose wads of notes had been brought at the meeting venue,” said Sharma, adding, “Horse-trading is going on here.”
According to a participant, there was a commotion in the meeting hall following which one could hear a pin drop when the wrapping papers (with the NRB seal) were demonstrated. The hurly burly later subsided after general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa announced that a committee would be formed to probe the issue.
A party cadre, who is close to Dr Bhattarai, also charged Dahal with misusing his post and power that he has been enjoying for more than a decade. He said the wrapping papers were discovered in the huts of the representatives from Awadh, Bhojpura and Mithila state committees, among others.
Most of state committees representatives back Dr Bhattarai. Jeevan Sharma, yet another Dr Bhattarai supporter, while commenting on the documents, accused Dahal of bullying party cadres. “Some YCL cadres in a stupor accosted us forcing us to support Dahal,” a participant quoted Sharma. “How fair is it to do so?” Sharma challenged Dahal to decide on what the party cadres want through secret voting, said the participant.
Maoist party office secretary Shakti Basnet, however, refuted the allegations made by Dr Bhattarai’s supporters against Dahal. “We challenge them to come forward with proof of doling out cash. We are ready to initiate action if they can prove it,” Basnet told The Himalayan Times.
Barshaman Pun, a hardcore Dahal supporter, argued Dahal didn’t need to resort to such ‘tactics’ to woo cadres, as he had the majority at the moment.
Chairman Dahal, who two days ago had charged his deputies with graft, came under fire when participants today levelled allegations against him that his deceitful tricks to woo party cadres revolved around cash and threats.
Representatives, who were commenting on political documents today, accused Dahal of doling out cash to party cadres and threatening them to use YCL members to get them in his favour. At the ongoing plenum of the party in Palungtar, representatives from different state committees are commenting on political documents presented by Chairman Dahal and two Vice Chairmen Mohan Baidhya and Dr Baburam Bhattarai.
Suspicion that Dahal was using money to woo party cadres had grown stronger after some participants found wrapping papers, which had the seal of Nepal Bank Limited, in large numbers in the huts where state committee members are staying. Such papers are used by the bank to secure wads of notes.
While commenting on the documents, Madhav Sharma, who represents Awadh State Committee, claimed that the party chairman tried to influence the cadres by distributing cash. “The chairman should clarify for what purpose wads of notes had been brought at the meeting venue,” said Sharma, adding, “Horse-trading is going on here.”
According to a participant, there was a commotion in the meeting hall following which one could hear a pin drop when the wrapping papers (with the NRB seal) were demonstrated. The hurly burly later subsided after general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa announced that a committee would be formed to probe the issue.
A party cadre, who is close to Dr Bhattarai, also charged Dahal with misusing his post and power that he has been enjoying for more than a decade. He said the wrapping papers were discovered in the huts of the representatives from Awadh, Bhojpura and Mithila state committees, among others.
Most of state committees representatives back Dr Bhattarai. Jeevan Sharma, yet another Dr Bhattarai supporter, while commenting on the documents, accused Dahal of bullying party cadres. “Some YCL cadres in a stupor accosted us forcing us to support Dahal,” a participant quoted Sharma. “How fair is it to do so?” Sharma challenged Dahal to decide on what the party cadres want through secret voting, said the participant.
Maoist party office secretary Shakti Basnet, however, refuted the allegations made by Dr Bhattarai’s supporters against Dahal. “We challenge them to come forward with proof of doling out cash. We are ready to initiate action if they can prove it,” Basnet told The Himalayan Times.
Barshaman Pun, a hardcore Dahal supporter, argued Dahal didn’t need to resort to such ‘tactics’ to woo cadres, as he had the majority at the moment.
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