Dahal’s political strategy: Courting Chand to checkmate Sharma

Dahal’s political strategy: Courting Chand to checkmate Sharma
Pushpa Kamal Dahal (File photo)
By Tapendra Karki
Published: August 10, 2025 11:11 AM

KATHMANDU, Aug 10: The decision number four made during the CPN (Maoist Centre) Standing Committee meeting, which took place from July 31 to August 3, addresses the goal of unifying the party with the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), led by Netra Bikram Chand. While discussions about merging with the CPN, which previously split from the Maoist party, have been ongoing for quite some time, this is the first instance in which the Standing Committee has formally addressed the matter.

The circular issued by the Standing Committee states, “The recent meeting of the Socialist Front Nepal concluded that the decision to strengthen and expand the Front, conduct interactive programs in all seven provinces, and finalize the task force’s report was correct. The meeting unanimously decided to unite with the CPN led by Biplav (Netra Bikram Chand) and to form a talks committee to initiate that process. The decision also includes taking the initiative to cooperate with other parties within the Socialist Front and other like-minded parties to eventually reach unification.”

After this decision became public, the Biplav-led CPN said that party unification could not happen right now. CPN spokesperson Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma clarified that while unity among all communist forces, including all factions of the Maoists, is necessary, no discussion has moved forward to the point of immediate unification with the Maoist Centre. “The Maoist Centre is a parliamentary party. The main question before unification is whether it will rise above parliamentarism. The Maoist Centre has decided on unification, that’s their position. On our side, this issue is not on the discussion table,” Bishwakarma said. He also claimed that the Maoist Centre has not held any talks with them.

Following the Maoist Centre’s decision, there has been an attempt to persuade CPN chair Biplav. Maoist Centre senior vice chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha met Biplav on August 7 at his Hattiban residence, where they discussed party unification, according to a leader close to Shrestha. Shrestha reportedly informed Biplav about the Maoist Centre’s decision on unification and urged him to “return to the original home”. Both leaders have not made their official positions public on the matter. According to sources, Biplav has not given a formal reply to Shrestha’s proposal.

At the Standing Committee meeting, Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma said that Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal should also engage in self-criticism due to weaknesses in party leadership. “During the four-day Standing Committee meeting, while discussing the party’s internal life, Sharma raised demands from the younger generation, which drew significant attention. In his capacity as deputy general secretary, Sharma’s points appear to have put Chair Dahal in a difficult position. This is one reason why the Maoist Centre decided to unite with Biplav’s CPN. Bringing him in would create a new equation and break the old one,” said a Standing Committee member close to Sharma.

According to that leader, Dahal’s strategy is to bring Biplav into the party and make him general secretary as a way to resolve the internal crisis. Since Biplav is aware of Dahal’s plan, there is doubt about immediate unification. Sharma’s faction believes the circular mentioning unification with the Biplav-led CPN was issued mainly as part of Dahal’s plan to sideline Sharma.

The circular also mentions, “The Standing Committee meeting held serious discussions on the public statements and activities of Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma (Prabhakar) regarding strengthening internal party unity. During discussions, it was concluded that making public statements against party policy and leadership, refusing to sign the minutes of the office-bearers’ meeting as deputy general secretary, and continuing factional activities were against party principles. Standing Committee members strongly urged Sharma to engage in self-criticism and correct mistakes. The chair requested Sharma to take the suggestions and criticisms seriously and correct weaknesses. But Sharma did not make concrete self-criticism on other issues except for refusing to sign the minutes, and instead made baseless allegations against party leadership.”

The circular states, “The Standing Committee therefore decided to reject the baseless allegations against the party leadership, to strongly criticize Sharma, and to instruct him not to make such statements or engage in such activities in the future.”

Sharma’s side believes this mention in the circular has also created grounds for possible disciplinary action against him.

A failed attempt at unity

The Biplav-led CPN had already concluded in January 2025 that unification with the Maoist Centre was no longer possible. Its central committee meeting, held in Shivgadhi, Kapilvastu, on January 15 and 16, decided not to pursue unity talks, accusing Maoist Centre chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal of opposing unification. Since then, Biplav’s party has not even discussed any Maoist Centre unification proposal.

Before that, a central committee meeting of the Biplav-led CPN had decided to hold talks with the Maoist Centre and other leftist forces. In line with this, CPN general secretary Biplav had held discussions with Dahal. There was even talk of bringing Biplav into the Maoist Centre as general secretary.

At that time, Dahal had told his party members that Biplav had been more helpful to the Maoists than some of their own leaders, and he was ready to make him general secretary. Some Maoist Centre leaders, upon realizing this, did not want Biplav in the party. Even now, the mention of unification in the circular is seen as something done reluctantly, aimed at weakening Sharma.

On December 13, 2024, the Maoist Centre Standing Committee had decided that those joining through unification would be given responsibilities according to their previous roles in their old party. Following this, circulars were sent to lower committees. The circular read, “Considering complaints that comrades who joined through unification, adjustment, or party entry in the past have been neglected in terms of organizational responsibility, it has been decided that those from established leftist factions will be adjusted at the same level they worked in before, and those from non-leftist factions will be adjusted according to the decision of the concerned party committees.”

Before the Maoist party split in 2013, Biplav was a politburo member. According to the Maoist Centre’s decision, even if unification happened, Biplav would only get the position of secretary. Since he was not satisfied with that, he decided not to go ahead with unification.