Royalists join CPN (Maoist)

The trend of well-known royalists joining the CPN (Maoist) is increasing of late, Kantipur Daily reports. In the latest instance, former member of National Assembly and pro-monarchist Rastriya Janashakti Party leader Janardhan Acharya announced Monday that he is joining the Maoist-affiliated 'Nationalist Republican Unity Campaign' on Monday.

Acharya said he joined the Maoists because he was not happy with his party's policy and working style. "I joined the Maoists because the party puts the nation and nationality above petty interests," he told the daily.

Acharya was the vice-president of a little-known party called Prajatanrik Nepal before he joined RJP along with the party's 20 central members a year ago. According to him, RJP's central committee member Uttam Pariyar and former mayor Prem Lal Maharjan have also joined the Maoist party. He said the central member of RPP (Rastrawadi) Mohan Pokharel too has joined the Republican Unity Campaign.

Similarly, Surya Bahadur Sen Oli, a powerful zonal administrator during the erstwhile Panchayati era, and his supporters are also actively engaged in campaigning in the districts to secure more votes for the Maoists.

"Only the Maoists can establish a republican set up in the country. For that we are going to the districts asking for vote for the party," Sen told the daily. According to him, there are retired police and army officers in the campaign.

Earlier on Sunday, five candidates of the Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) had tendered their joint resignation in Chitwan district, giving a serious blow to the pro-monarchist party at the threshold of the Constituent Assembly (CA) election. They had accused party president Surya Bahadur Thapa's 'indistinct stance' on policy and hinted at the possibility of them joining the Maoists. nepalnews.com ag Apr 1 08

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