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>Berkeley: Memoir follows author's road to communism
>Rick DelVecchio, Chronicle Staff Writer
Nepalnews.com
2 May 2005
Prachanda admits serious differences with Bhattrai
Maoist chairman Prachanda has conceded severe differences between him and Dr Babu Ram Bhattrai, and the action taken against him for the same reason, the state-run Radio Nepal said.
Saying the difference between them affected the organizational set up of the party, Prachanda disclosed- for the first time- that due to the differences between them, Dr Bhattarai has been relieved from most of his erstwhile leadership responsibilities, the state run radio said quoting a statement of the Maoist supremo.
The rift between the two Maoist leaders surfaced more than two months ago after security forces found slogans written on walls against Prachanda and his leadership by Bhattarai’s group in the mid western Dang district, the state run Radio added.
Confirming the relegation of Dr Bhattarai from all his erstwhile positions inside the Maoist party- reportedly for activities against the party- the Maoist HQ has disseminated a circular to all its branches down to the grassroots level arguing that Dr. Bhattarai was expelled from the party for running a simultaneous headquarters, reported Nepal Samacharpatra on Sunday.
It is learnt that the party proved him guilty on the basis of the two letters Dr. Bhattarai submitted through his bodyguards on Kartik 26 and Mangshir 15 in 2061 BS, the daily further said.
It is worth-mentioning that Dr. Bhattarai had complained against a foray of internal affairs like the juxtaposing of Prachanda’s photos with that of Marx and Lenin or over emphasising the party policy that has not yet taken the form of a full-fledged ‘ism’ as ‘Prachandapath’ or Prachandaism. Responding to these points made public much earlier, Prachanda on Saturday circulated a press release claiming that Dr. Bhattarai was found guilty on the basis of the two letters.
In the process of announcing the internal dispute for the first time since its establishment, the Maoist organisation has also made it clear that by doing so it has altogether done away with the possibility of the existence of a simultaneous headquarters.
The press release also claims, according to published reports, that Bhattarai is presently ‘busy in completing his central level responsibilities’. But it has not been said as to what those ‘responsibilities’ are. ‘By encouraging group-ism and cessationist activities, Laldhwoj (Dr. Baburam Bhattarai) was moving towards a dangerous direction of helping the imperialism’ says the rebel press communiqué.
Nepalnews.com amt/pd May 02 05
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