Tags: Kathmandu , Maoist hardliner , Prachanda

Kathmandu, Nov 18: A serious row has erupted between Nepalese Premier Prachanda and Maoist hardliners on whether to consolidate the democratic republic or pursue a Communist- style dispensation, with the former guerrilla chief finding it difficult to get his views on the multi-party system endorsed.

The differences between Prachanda and Maoist hardliners like Mohan Vaidya surfaced after the latter presented his political document on "People's Republic", claiming that Prachanda's views on the issue lacked clarity.

A crucial meeting of the Central Working Committee of the CPN-Maoist on the issue, which was briefly held at Bharatpur near here yesterday, was postponed till tomorrow.

"We have postponed the meeting till Wednesday as further time was required to study both documents (of Vaidya and Prachanda) to start formal discussions" on the issue, senior Maoist leader and chief of party's Foreign Department C P Gajurel, a confidant of Vaidya, said.

Prachanda has presented three options in his document: the 'federal democratic republic' to be pursued immediately, 'transitional republic' for transitional period and 'people's republic' as the ultimate goal of the party.

But party's hardliners, currently in majority, were not satisfied by Prachanda's ideological document.

Political analysts termed the differences among leaders of Nepal's largest Communist party as serious. This was for the first time that the party workers were openly divided on the basis of ideology. Nepal, in the past, had witnessed split in Communist parties when such differences had cropped up.

However, Gajurel did not agree with the view. "It does not bring any serious crisis in the party," he said, adding, the differences would be sorted out after deliberations.

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