Maoists appear to be tilting towards Prachanda's viewpoint

KATHMANDU: The Maoist hardliners bid to gain support among partymen for the establishment of a single-party rule in Nepal seems to be losing out, with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's view to continue multi-party system seems on the verge of receiving endorsement by the party Congress.

But question mark still hangs over whether in the long run the Maoists will stick to this concept or abandon it midway, political analysts said as National Workers Conference has twice run into a logjam over the issue.

The main objective of the convention was to debate two parallel reports of Maoists future objectives -- one floated by Prachanda and the other by party strongman Mohan Vaidya.

But so far the sea-saw battle has seen no winners, party sources said.

However, known for his art of manipulation and political maneuvering, Prachanda, whose nom-de-guerra means "fierce one," has succeeded in converting a majority of partymen to his idea of state.

"Eighty per cent of the members have voiced their support for the chairman's political document," said a Central Committee member from the prime minister's faction.

Prachanda, whose political document to consolidate a "democratic republic" was rejected by majority of hardcore workers in the 13 state committees of the CPN-Maoist emerged stronger as the party's National Workers Conference comes near to its conclusion today, sources said.

Vaidya's political document that aims to immediately establish "People's Republic" or communist republic had received support from majority of 1,100 hardcore workers during internal discussions of the party's various state committees last week.