Kathmandu, November 4

Unified CPN-Maoist today expelled five of its central leaders.

According to a press statement issued by the party today, Ram Chandra Jha, Mahendra Paswan, Ram Rijhan Yadav, Ram Kumar Sharma and Ghana Shyam Yadav have been expelled.

Jha and Paswan were the politburo members of the party, while the other three were central committee members.

The party also decided to seek clarification from all other leaders who had submitted a memorandum yesterday presenting their differing views. The party has asked the leaders to submit their clarification within five days.

The party clarified today that only 21 central leaders had signed the memorandum yesterday and not 45 central leaders as reported in the media. It was reported that 45 central leaders close to former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had quit the party.

The party said among the signatories, some had telephoned the party saying that they were not for forming a new force. Bhattarai has been leading a campaign to create a new political force in the country.

The party said in its statement that the standing committee had termed Bhattarai’s move as self-centered and rightist move.

Devendra Bhattarai who is among the 45 leaders who had submitted their differing views to the party yesterday said he would join Bhattarai’s campaign. He also confirmed that Bhattarai had given him the responsibility to act as the coordinator of the campaign for the time being.

“Ultimately Bhattarai will lead the campaign but for the time being I will lead the campaign and Bhattarai will hold interactions with various sections of the society,” Paudel added.