Dahal wooes former Maoist leaders as NCP faces crisis

KATHMANDU: Amid the widening rift in the party, Nepal Communist Party Executive Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has intensified meetings with his copper-bottomed supportes and the leaders of the former Maoist camp.

According to sources, Dahal has initiated a serious discussion with the influential former Maoist leaders so as to come up with a more concrete strategy against PM Oli.

Former Maoist leaders Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Haribol Gajurel, Mani Thapa, Lekh Raj Bhatta and Ram Bahadur Thapa are found to be loyal to PM Oli rather than to Dahal.

In hopes of bringing these leaders back to his camp as the present crisis in the party is due to PM Oli’s breach of the agreement, Chairman Prachanda has intensified meetings with those leaders.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi went to Khumaltar at the Dahal’s call today. Earlier, this week, Dahal had called Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and had tried to convince him to join his camp.

Similarly, PM Oli has also called the leaders of his camp back to Kathmandu and has started holding meetings with them, said sources.