Kathmandu: The Maoist party in Nepal, the
single largest faction in parliament, is facing a serious
crisis due to lack of elected leadership and financial
irregularities, a senior leader of the former rebels warned
on Tuesday.
Maoist politburo member Ram Karki said ideological
differences have surfaced within the party in recent time.
It could split the party if the matter is not settled
properly, warned Karki, who a vocal critic of party Chairman
Prachanda.
UCPN-Maoist, which has not held its general convention
for the last 20 years, is facing a serious crisis due to
financial irregularities, he pointed out.
Karki, who is close to moderate deputy chairman
Baburam Bhattarai, said lack of elected leadership in the
party for a long time and non-transparent financial
transactions have posed a threat of a "big explosion" inside
the party.
"There has not been any election for the past 20 years
and no one knows who is really stronger in the party," said
Karki.
"Explosion may occur any time if the leadership fails
to manage it," Karki warned while interacting with reporters
in the capital.
Nepal Maoists, who ended their decade-long civil war
in 2006 and emerged as the single largest party in the 2008
Constituent Assembly election, are the main ally of the
Communist-led coalition.
The Maoist party is virtually divided into four groups
led by hardliner Mohan Vaidya, Maoist chairman Prachanda and
two moderate factions of Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha.
The senior Maoist leader pointed out that all
ideological differences in the party would be resolved if the
party elected its representatives and makes its financial
transactions transparent.
PTI
