Maoist protest decision

KATHMANDU: The ongoing standing committee meeting of the Unified CPN-Maoist on Sunday concluded that the decision on the fifth phase of movement would be taken only after the meeting of High-Level Political Mechanism to be held on Monday. According to Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma, the next meeting of the ongoing standing committee to be held on Tuesday would take the decision on the fifth phase of their movement. Earlier, Sharma had said Sunday’s meeting would decide the schedule for their protest. Sharma said the new working policy of the party would be national independence, civilian supremacy, peace, new constitution and national joint government. Today’s meeting concluded following UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ addressed the concerns of the standing committee members. The UCPN-M had withdrawn their indefinite general strike scheduled to begin on January 24 as part of their fourth phase of movement for national independence and civilian supremacy on the request of HLPM. Sharma claimed that Prachanda stated that the party was united and there were no differences among the leaders.