KATHMANDU: Naya Shakti Nepal's leader Mumaram Khanal on Friday announced he left the party led by former Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai.

Issuing a statement today, the Central Executive Member and the Political Dialogue Committee Coordinator of the party said he concluded that the party could not establish itself as an alternative political force as he had hoped.

"I had a hope that it was impossible to create an alternative political force without the leadership of any political figure," Khanal said in a statement hinting at Bhattarai-led leadership, "But, I have been relieved of the illusion today."

"Unchanged intention and character of leaders cannot give a new alternative," he added.

Khanal claimed that the party would not be able to make any change in the nation if it followed the current practice.

Instead, it could become another party like other nearly 200 ones registered with the Election Commission, he added.

"The party was not based on rules, but on a person," he said, "Financial anarchy was accepted while financial operational procedure was  deserted."

He also accused Bhattarai of making the party a group of former Maoist cadres, that too just close to him.

"The political organisation, character and culture of the Naya Shakti did not carry with it an alternative, but just the continuity of former Maoists," he said, "Consequently, there was not any environment for limited non-Maoist members to stay in the Naya Shakti."

Meanwhile, it has been learned that Khanal resorted to the resignation after the party decided to take action against him for some of his public statements.

Khanal was a leader of the then CPN Maoist party when it had launched an armed struggle against the nation.

He, however, had left the party some years ago and was actively working as a political commentator before he joined Bhattarai's party last year.