Communist leader Chand intensifies talks with leaders of anti-MCC camp

KATHMANDU: Communist leaders opposing the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact (US grant) have intensified meetings of late.

A House of Representatives (HoR) sitting on February 27 ratified the US grant MCC. Despite the ratification, differences remain over MCC with the ruling partners the CPN-Maoist Center and the CPN-Unified Socialist (CPN-US).

Along with the latest political developments, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’ has held five meetings with MCC-opposed leaders from Wednesday to Thursday.

General Secretary Chand met senior Maoist Center leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha in Hattiban, Lalitpur, on Wednesday morning. Shrestha is a dissident leader within the Maoists. The same day, Chand reached Bhaktapur and held discussions with leaders of Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party, including Chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe.

From Bhaktapur, he headed to Dallu, Kathmandu to meet another ruling party leader Jhala Nath Khanal, who also shared reservations on MCC and is a former Prime Minister. Chand proposed uniting nationalist forces before CPN-US leader Khanal, concluding that MCC was not in the best interest of the country.

Chand met two more leaders today, Thursday.

He called on CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal and Maoist Center Spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

Communist Party of Nepal General Secretary Chand discussed about running an anti-MCC campaign in a bid to scrap MCC agreement. He stressed unifying anti-MCC and providing momentum to anti-MCC movement with like-minded leaders, sources said.

As many as eight political parties, including Chand’s, have made public protest programs from March 3-20 against the recent ratification of MCC from parliament.