Maoists in wait-and-see mood

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Feb 25: The Maoist Standing Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday was postponed after the party failed to resolve disputes with the ruling CPN-UML over the controversial seven-point agreement that includes power-sharing in the new coalition.

“We are still holding informal talks over the implementation of the seven-point deal. So the meeting was postponed,” said Maoist leader Shakti Basnet.

The Maoist party is still in a wait-and-see mood over whether or not to join the government after the UML diluted the seven-point deal through explanatory notes and declined to give it the charge of the home ministry.

The Maoists held a meeting with Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal in Singha Durbar Thursday. The former rebels were scheduled to hold a meeting of the party standing committee later to decide whether or not to join the government.

“The seven-point agreement has assumed multiple meanings after the UML´s explanatory notes on it. The prime minister clarified his party´s decision to some extent. We will hold a meeting to decide on the party´s participation in the government,” said Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. But the meeting was postponed citing need for more talks with the UML.

Talking to reporters, the prime minister stated that his party has owned up the deal in its entirety and that he clarified the Maoists about the party´s decision to define the contents of the seven-point deal. “Now the cabinet will be expanded,” he said.

The Maoists have demanded that the UML unambiguously interpret the seven-point deal and implement it right away.

According to party leaders, the Maoists are pushing for people´s federal democratic republic and the UML for federal democratic republic. “Inclusive federal democratic republic could be the middle ground,” said Basnet.

Similarly, Maoist leaders said that the two parties must stick to the agreement on integration of the Maoist combatants, which commits to set up a separate force of the Maoist combatants or a combined force comprising combatants and personnel from other security agencies.

But power-sharing has been the most contentious issue between the two parties. “Sticking to the deal, the UML must give us the home ministry, and implement other points of the agreement. Otherwise we won´t join the government,” said Basnet.