Maoists get ball rolling on joining govt

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Terming its Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal ‘fruitful’, the Unified CPN-Maoist has begun preparations to join the government without the ‘home ministry given to them for the time being.’

Today’s Maoist move comes as a great respite for PM Khanal who walked a tightrope for almost a month with only three ministers in his Cabinet.

A senior Maoist leader claimed that his party would struggle for the implementation of the seven-point agreement after joining the government and that PM Khanal will hold the home portfolio for some time. PM Khanal is hard-pressed to bear the pressure from the Maoists to abide by the seven-point deal while a section of leaders of his own party are opposing the deal. The UCPN-M itself seems to be divided over joining the government.

Leaders, especially in the faction led by Maoist Vice Chairman Baburam Bhattarai, are still of the opinion that the party should not join the government until the seven-point deal is implemented.

However, senior Maoist leaders said the standing committee meeting of the party scheduled for tomorrow is expected to take a final decision on joining the government. “We are joining the government to ensure proper implementation of the seven-point agreement,” said Maoist politburo member Shakti Basnet. Though today’s standing committee meeting was scheduled to take a decision to this effect, the meeting could not take place, as most of the leaders were out of the Valley.

Senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidhya said PM’s commitment to implement the agreement has created conducive environment for the party to join the government. Addressing a function here today, Baidhya said, “PM Khanal has assured Chairman Dahal that he would keep the home ministry with him for some time and that would later let the Maoists lead it.”

According to standing committee member Amik Sherchan, tomorrow’s meeting will take a concrete decision on joining the government.