KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the party’s deputy general secretary, Janardan Sharma ‘Prabhakar’, refused to make a self-criticism during the party’s Standing Committee meeting.
According to a circular signed by Chair Dahal and General Secretary Dev Prasad Gurung, Sharma did not comply with the party’s request for self-reflection. The document, sent from the party’s central office in Parisdanda to lower-level committees, states that Sharma disregarded repeated calls to admit mistakes.
The circular also notes that the accusations made by Sharma against the party chair have been dismissed as baseless. Despite being given an opportunity until the final moments of the meeting, Sharma did not sign the meeting minutes nor acknowledge any wrongdoing beyond that refusal.
The Standing Committee concluded that Sharma’s public statements against party policy and leadership, his repeated refusal to sign official minutes, and his engagement in factional activities were against party principles. Members urged him to correct these actions through self-criticism.
While Prachanda made repeated appeals until the end of the meeting, Sharma maintained his stance, acknowledging no fault other than not signing the minutes. The circular states that the Standing Committee decided to reject the “unfounded allegations” against the leadership, issue a strong criticism of Sharma, and direct him to refrain from making similar remarks or engaging in such activities in the future.
Sharma had earlier registered a dissenting opinion at the meeting, questioning the leadership on various issues. He argued that the party’s progress was not solely his doing and refused to self-criticise. This position, along with his earlier long-standing refusal to sign minutes since he was not selected as general secretary during the party’s eighth general convention four years ago, was documented in the circular.
Party spokesperson and vice chair Agni Prasad Sapkota later stated that Sharma had now agreed to sign the minutes after extensive discussions, expressing hope that the Standing Committee’s deliberations had made a positive impression on him.
Sapkota also noted that discussions would continue on Sharma’s recent remarks, in which he accused all communist prime ministers except Manmohan Adhikari of corruption. Prachanda, in previous meetings, had warned members against taking internal matters outside the party and hinted at potential disciplinary action. While no formal action was taken during the meeting, the circular records that Sharma was unwilling to express remorse for his actions.
In a party-produced interview video released Thursday, Sapkota said, “The Standing Committee was nearly unanimous, except for one or two members. The chair and other leaders advised him to acknowledge mistakes. While he did not offer an explanation as before, there are positive signs. He has gone quite far, so it may take time for him to return, but I believe the discussions have resonated with him.”
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