KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday accused his former comrade Baburam Bhattarai of betraying the nation in the time of need and turning traitor.

Speaking at a cadre meeting in Kathmandu today, Dahal said Bhattarai committed a "crime" by ditching the Maoist ideology which he followed for most part of his life.

"He committed a great mistake," he said, "He committed an ideological crime by leaving Communist, Marxist and Maoist movements while he spent his whole life being a Communist, Marxist and Maoist."

The Maoist Chairman likened his former deputy severing ties with the party to an old man estranging his wife and marrying another strange woman.

"Baburamji left. But, I only had pity for him," he commented, "(He) broke down the party with a desire to become a leader; but only desire cannot make you a leader."

He suggested that Bhattarai should have joined other political forces to cope with problems the nation was facing including the blockade, instead of leaving the party.

"This is how he registered his name in the list of traitors," he concluded.

Six days after the Constitution was promulgated by the Constituent Assembly, Bhattarai, who had led the Constitution writing process as the Chairman of the Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee of the statute-writing body, had announced that he left the party.

He had then argued that the old parties could not bring any change in the nation, hence some new force was needed.

Later, Bhattarai launched a New Force Interim Central Council, which he said would turn into a political party very soon.

'Who liked Karishma?'

Speaking at the function today, Dahal also cracked a joke about actress Karishma Manandhar's involvement in the New Force.

"There was a rumour about me," he narrated, "that I liked Karishma." Dahal continued the story after all his cadres giggled at his joke for seconds, "But, that was not true."

"They did not believe me when I said no; but now everyone saw it was Baburam  (who liked her)."

"It is not just a joke, but has a deep sentiment."

The actress is a New Force Interim Central Council member.