UCPN-M´s standing committee meeting held late Friday evening decided to call off the strike after over three-hour long deliberations. The party said it will hold a mass rally in the capital and in the district headquarters on Saturday and apprise people of the party decision. The party will encircle Singha Durbar and district administration offices across the country Sunday.
The party was under immense pressure to roll back the strike after people across the country protested against it. People came out onto the streets in huge numbers, braving intimidation by Maoist cadres, and resisted the strike imposed on them. On Friday, tens of thousands of Kathmanduites gathered at Basantapur and urged the UCPN-M to withdraw strike and the parties to immediately strike a deal to end the political stalemate.
Addressing media after the meeting at Nayabazaar, Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal said, “The general strike that began the day after May Day has been postped.He argued that the general strike was called off for two reasons: First, daily life for people was becoming difficult, and second, a conspiracy was being hatched to set people against people. “There was an attempt to take advantage of things by setting people against people,” Dahal said.
The Maoist chairman however argued that calling off the general strike did not mean cancelling the party´s struggle for a national government to conclude the peace process and draft a “people´s constitution”. The next meeting of the party standing committee will chart out the future course.
Dahal-Baidya camp retreats
According to sources, the leaders concluded that the demonstrations did not get the support of the people of Kathmandu Valley. Dahal had decided to go the general under the influence of party hardliners led by Senior Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidya.Party leaders led by another vice-chairman, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, had insisted from the beginning that the strident protest and general strike would lead the party nowhere. For the last two days, Bhattarai has been pushing for withdrawal of the strike.
“Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had stated that he would resign if the parties find a prime ministerial candidate acceptable to all of them. So there was space for compromise and no point in enforcing the general strike,” said a senior Maoist leader, requesting anonymity. According to him, Dahal was driven by his desire to become the next prime minister at all cost, and hence the fiasco.
Dahal became alarmed when leaders of other political parties floated the idea of making Dr Bhattarai the next prime minister. Party insiders say Dahal told confidantes that he did not want to share the fate of Girija Prasad Koirala, who lost considerable political clout after bringing Sher Bahadur Deuba into prominence.
Leaders say Dahal decided to bring tens of thousands onto the street to enforce the indefinite general strike, giving it a semblance of “people´s revolt” to please hardliners. He wanted to lead the government through pressure from the streets and appoint party hardliners to strengthen his hold in the party, but the plan failed miserably.
The rift between Dr Bhattarai and Dahal widened after the latter removed Dr Bhattarai from the post of deputy leader in parliament and later an audio record was leaked to media in which Dahal accused Bhattarai of being India´s choice for next prime minister of Nepal.
NC, UML welcome Maoist decision
The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have welcomed the Maoist move.
CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal welcomed the Maoist decision. "The situation had led toward people fighting against the people. Therefore I welcome this decision wholeheartedly," Khanal told Republica.
e urged the Maoist and other political parties to put all their efforts for forging national consensus for ensuring peace and constitution on time. "In the changed context, I urge all the political parties to further intensify dialogues and reach an agreement toward forming a national unity government," he said.
NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel welcomed the Maoist decision to withdraw indefinite strikes. "This is a welcome move. We will study how the Maoist will take their movement ahead," said Poudel. "We will continue negotiations."
The UCPN-Maoist has withdrawn the general strike attributing the same to the way the common people were facing hardship. However the campaign will remain in place. The decision was taken by standing committee meeting of the party.
This comes as a huge relief to the nation which had come to a grinding halt sixth straight today. "We are withdrawing the strike just because the government is pitching the people against people as a desperate bid," Prachanda said.
However the plan to encircle the Singha Durbar has been planned for tomorrow.