Maoist dispute peaks in Itahari

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

ITAHARI: The internal dispute in the Unified CPN-Maoist reached its peak with the suspension of a Mohan Baidhya faction leader today.

Maoist Itahari Area Committee’s establishment faction suspended sub-secretary Upendra Ghimire who was leading the hardline faction in the district.

Organising a press meet in Itahari today, the establishment faction’s Area In-charge Narin Subba and Secretary Mukti Rijal informed that action was taken against Ghimire as he had acted against the party leadership and ignored the party command. Speaking at the press meet, Subba said the party was compelled to take action against him when he did not listen to frequent warnings. He said, “Action was taken against him with the support of District and State Committees.”

As per a party source, Subba and Rijal had sent a letter to Itahari municipality not to allow Ghimire’s participation in any programme. Ghimire had called a separate meeting of the district, region and area members on Saturday and blamed the establishment faction for uniting against him and trying to end his political career.

Most of the participants at yesterday’s meeting concluded that Subba and Rijal had taken the step against the party law and even recommended action against them to the Regional Committee.

Regional Committee In-charge Manoj Shrestha belongs to the Baidhya faction. The dispute had started when Subba and Rijal had sent a letter to the municipality 20 days ago to address the letters sent to the party in their names not in the name of Ghimire. They also wrote that the party would not accept the presence of Sub-in charge Ghimire at any official programme as a representative of the party.

Ghimire said, “Subba and Rijal do not have the right to take action against me,” adding, “This is just a conspiracy to end my political life.”

Meanwhile, at a press conference, the establishment faction charged that the Regional Committee led by Manoj Shrestha has been collecting donations illegally in Itahari area. Secretary Rijal said that the donation of 35,000 rupees which the party had been collecting from Eastern Regional Revenue Investigation Office was also taken by Manoj. He said, “We have stopped collecting donations from government offices, different organisations and traders,” adding, “But it has been revealed that Manoj and some of his friends have been collecting donation against the decision of the Area Committee.”

Subba sought action against leaders who collect donations for personal gains.