KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Chairman) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has challenged the growing influence of two party leaders – Janardan Sharma and Barsha Man Pun – by presenting Shakti Basnet forward. Dahal is said to have supported Shakti’s candidates in the recently held election of the All Nepal National Free Students Union-Revolutionary (ANNFSU-R) to defeat candidates of Janardan’s and Barshaman’s panels.
Bijay Prakash Sapkota, who is seen as close to Shakti Basnet, was elected as the chairperson of the ANNFSU-R in the recently held election. After his victory, it is being claimed that Shakti’s group has gained prominence within the party.
“Chairperson Dahal has challenged some second-tier leaders through Shakti, signaling that other leaders can also come against you,” said a Maoist Center leader. “Shakti Basnet himself is not a leader who forms factions. It’s Dahal’s ploy to strengthen himself by creating divisions among Janardan, Barshaman and Narayankaji Shrestha.”
Shakti was once known as a leader who didn’t engage in factionalism. When Dahal became Prime Minister for the first time, Shakti served as his personal secretary. According to leaders, Shakti has always remained closest to Dahal. He never goes against Dahal’s decisions which is why he has consistently received beneficial positions.
In the recent ANNFSU-R election, former student leaders also supported Shakti’s candidate Sapkota. According to AFFNSU-R’s former Vice-chairperson Keshav Rawal, former leaders including Chairperson Pancha Singh and former vice-presidents Madan Bhul, Tukman Mahara, Narayan Khanal and Achyut Bhatta openly supported Sapkota.
Dahal has been accused of sidelining competing students by mobilizing students in favor of Shakti. “After I filed by candidacy for the position of chairperson, Dahal called and asked why I filed my candidacy,” a defeated student leader told Himal Press. “I explained my reasons for candidacy to the party chairperson. Calls were made from headquarters to provinces and districts to destroy me.”
According to that student leader, the headquarter was active in spreading the narrative against him. Within the Maoist party, chairperson Dahal’s directives are referred to as headquarters’ directives.
Another student leader said pressure from the headquarter was evident even during vote counting. “Sometimes there were disputes about colors, sometimes water was poured on ballots. If only ballots with different colors had been counted, headquarters’ (Bijay Prakash Sapkota’s) defeat was certain,” the leader said. “Bijay went ahead only after vote counting was postponed and water was poured at the counting site.”
Maoist leaders explain there’s a reason why Dahal is backing Shakti through student leader Sapkota. Currently, Janardan and Barshaman’s faction is strong in the Maoist party. The factions of Narayankaji Shrestha and Pampha Bhusal are also active.
Maoist Center’s general convention is scheduled to be held after one year. Maoist leaders say that Dahal is likely to position Shakti against Janardan and Barshaman in preparation for the convention. According to Maoist leaders, Dahal is working to form a new faction to prevent any second-tier leader from gaining prominence. He used the ANNISU-R election, leaders claim.
During the party’s eighth general convention, Janardan and Barshaman were aspirants for the position of general secretary. However, Dahal brought in a third person, Dev Gurung. Dahal also had plans to bring Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’ as the party’s general secretary. But this did not materialize as most second-tier leaders were dissatisfied.
Political analysts say Dahal used to stay in power in the past by playing Baburam and Narayankaji against each other. “Later, he survived by playing Janardan-Barshaman. Now he’s playing a new faction, that’s the Shakti faction,” said political analyst Mumaram Khanal. “Dahal played the Biplav card and now he is playing the Shakti card. He keeps doing this.”
The ‘Shakti Card’ Dahal Wants to Play
The relationship between Chairperson Dahal and Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma is not cordial these days. In the standing committee meeting held in July, Janardan had presented a “different opinion” against Dahal. Janardan’s document accused Dahal of spreading rumors from accusing him of corruption to leaving the party. Leaders close to Barshaman also raised questions against Dahal in the meeting.
Maoist leaders claim that Dahal received signals from the meeting that Janardan and Barshaman were uniting. For this reason, Dahal had to play a new game. This time, he brought former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun into party politics. Leaders say leaders close to Janardan and Barshaman opposed the decision.
During the Maoist Center meeting, Sudan Kirati, who is close to Janardan, argued that Nanda Bahadur should not join the party. Although Nanda Bahadur was allowed to participate in the party meeting, he was not given any responsibility.
Janardan has a strong backing of lawmakers, central members and youth-student wings in the party. Party leaders say Dahal needs Shakti to “break” Janardarn’s influence.
