Haribol Gajurel: China always in favor of left unity in Nepal
The CPN (Maoist Center) won 122 mayors and municipal chiefs in the May 13 local elections–16 more than its 2017 tally. The party had contested the elections as part of a five-party alliance alongside the Nepali Congress, CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajbadi Party, and Rastriya Janamorcha. The primary objective of this alliance was to mount a challenge against the CPN-UML with its formidable organizational strength.
While the Congress emerged as the largest party, the second spot went to the UML. The Maoist Center came a distant third. Whatever the election outcome, top Maoists leaders are of the view that the current five-party alliance should be continued until the parliamentary elections.
At the same time, talks about a left alliance, particularly between the UML and Maoists, do not die down. In fact, there is a strong sentiment among the second-rung leaders of both the Maoist Center and UML in favor of a left alliance.
In this context, Kamal Dev Bhattarai of ApEx talked to senior Maoist leader and party chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s close confidant Haribol Gajurel.
How do you evaluate the party’s performance in local elections?
The five-party alliance was formed to fight the authoritarian bent of the UML, whose leader tried twice to dissolve a democratically elected parliament. Broadly, the alliance has been successful. The local election was a battle between progressive and regressive forces. The regressive force has been weakened. The Maoists had expected to win around 150 seats but then the alliance didn’t work as planned in some places.
Will the current alliance endure until the parliamentary elections?
Regressive elements are trying to undermine the republic and the federal setup. So the continuity of the current left-democratic alliance is necessary in order to rout them. The five parties are in discussion on how to make the alliance even more fruitful in the parliamentary elections.
There are rumors of Maoist Chairman Dahal being offered the post of prime minister if he agrees to a left alliance?
These rumors are aimed at confusing the people. The party’s rank and file is unhappy with the leadership of KP Oli who failed to keep the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party united. As a result, the previous communist government could not stay in power for the full five years. It is also important to consider that Oli’s UML faced a defeat in the recent local-level elections.
So the offer of premiership to the Maoist party is nothing more than a UML ruse to neutralize the growing resentment within the UML party and divert attention of party leaders and cadres.
So you then see no chances of a left alliance?
Personally, I don’t, at least not until Oli abandons his regressive and authoritarian bent. Oli has assigned some of his leaders to convince the Maoist party on a left alliance. But there hasn’t been any progress. Right now, the Maoist Center doesn’t see a solid basis for such an alliance.
But this is not to say that there aren’t leaders inside the Maoist party or the UML who genuinely believe in the sanctity of the left alliance.
What about reports about China again pressing left parties to come together?
China is always in favor of left unity in Nepal. By China, I mean the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), not the Chinese government. It is no secret that the CCP wants to see the left forces of Kathmandu working together.
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