KATHMANDU, JUL 02 -

UCPN (Maoist) leader Baburam Bhattarai’s sudden decision to step down as party vice-chairman that subsequently led the party to a new crisis is yet another ‘episode’ in his long-time rivalry with party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Dahal and Bhattarai, whose relations even at best of times is termed an “uneasy alliance,” seemed headed for a thaw after the party adopted the line of ‘peace and constitution’ in 2011. After the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (CA) last year, the rivalry intensified again, though it did not become public. The ex-prime minister was of the view that the formation of an all-party government was possible only under his leadership, but Dahal consistently undermined the deal to sideline him in the party, Bhattarai aides say.

Further, Bhattarai is deeply frustrated with intra-party politics where a sustained campaign from Dahal supporters blames him for dismantling the party’s army, the PLA, widespread corruption and abetment with Madhesi parties and blatantly serving Indian interests.

“After the CA dissolution, Dahal played a double role. When Bhattarai was willing to resign (as PM), he asked him not to step down, but asked him to leave the government only when the party had explained to its constituency that he had to remain in office to stave off the NC-UML charge,” a leader close to Bhattarai said.

Dahal and Bhattarai, in fact, have a long history of “uneasy alliance.” For a long time during the underground years, the Dahal faction viewed Bhattarai with suspicion, regarded him as ‘pro-Indian’ and even ‘leaking’ classified information and leading to arrests of some key pro-Dahal and Kiran leaders. “The two leaders have a bitter past. And this continues to trigger their mutual suspicion. This obviously is responsible for the crisis in the party,” said Maoist leader Devendra Poudel, a Bhattarai aide.

Although close colleagues for over two decades, the troubles in their relationship date as far back as the early years of the conflict in the late 1990s. In 1985, Dahal left the CPN (Masal) led by Mohan Bikram Singh and formed theMashal party. The Mashal party was first led by Mohan Baidya and later the leadership was handed over to Dahal.

But Bhattarai remained with Singh, saying that Dahal and Baidya lack a clear ideology.

However, the formation of the CPN (unity centre) in 1991 brought Dahal and Bhattarai together in the same party again. The first convention of the unity centre in 1992 endorsed the line of ‘protracted people’s war.’ Dahal became the party chairman and Bhattarai the coordinator of the electoral front of the new party, the United People’s Front. The party launched the insurgency in 1996, but even during the insurgency period, relations between the two leaders saw many ups and downs.

It was the party’s second national convention in 2001 that decided to adopt ‘Prachandapath’ as the party’s guiding principle. Subsequently, Bhattarai expressed his strong dissatisfaction over the move to put Prachanda alongside such ideologues as Stalin, Mao and Lenin, saying that it should not make Prachanda god-like. However, relations between the two hit rock bottom in 2004-2005 when Bhattarai dissented against the official party line and was thus stripped of all his party positions and confined to protracted custody in Rolpa under the Maoist army.

After the Chunwang meet, the party came along to accepting Bhattarai’s line, and the Dahal-Bhattarai relationship revived again. It was in Chunwang that the party adopted competitive politics and the need to work together with parliamentary parties to overthrow the monarchy. Bhattarai was subsequently dispatched to New Delhi as a high-powered party emissary. He played a leading role in forging the 12-point understanding with parliamentary forces.

From 2006 to 2008, there was a cordial relationship between the two. When they appeared together publicly after Jana Aandolan-II in Baluwatar, both leaders were in a similar uniform. They even lived together for some time in Nayabazar, Kathmandu, after they came over-ground.

But differences surfaced between them in both the Kharipati meeting in 2008 and the sixth extended plenum in 2010 over ideological issues. In these meetings, Dahal was in favour of declaring India as the party’s principal enemy, but Bhattarai was against it. Bhattarai also criticised Dahal for his shaky position on peace and constitution.

Again, the relations between the two headed towards a thaw when the party adopted the line of peace and constitution in 2011, abandoning the ‘protracted people’s war.’ After Dahal and Bhattarai apparently came closer, the party’s senior leader Mohan Baidya left the party and formed a new one.

However, leaders from both the factions say that though the relations between the two look better, there are big differences. For some time, according to leaders, Bhattarai downplayed the differences with Dahal as he was the prime minister. After the party’s seventh general convention in February, there was a dispute between the two leaders on key appointments in party posts. However, unlike in the past, Bhattarai did not speak openly about his differences with the party chairman. He thought it better to quit the vice-chairman’s post rather than always arguing with Dahal, a leader said. But leaders in the Dahal faction maintain that the chairman is taking decisions by taking Bhattarai into confidence.

While proposing names for appointments in the party’s committees, Dahal agreed to induct leaders referred by Bhattarai. However, when the proposal was presented in the party’s 98-member CC for final approval, leaders close to Dahal criticised the plan.

Dahal’s plan to promote junior leaders such as Barshaman Pun and to induct leaders from other parties in high positions also made Bhattarai unhappy, leaders said, adding that the thought that he would be working with the juniors in the top level made Bhattarai feel uncomfortable.

“As the leadership was struggling to settle the appointment row, Bhattaraiji resigned without consulting with the party chairman. He fled from the responsibility instead of tackling it,” said leader Haribol Gajurel. Leaders say Bhattarai’s ‘frustration with politics’ began mainly after he became the prime minister due to ‘total non-cooperation’ from the party.