UPDATE ON MAOIST CONVEENTION Kathmandu, 2 Feb.: The Moist general convention after 21 years is being held after 21 years ad for the first time when it is running the country for the second time. The biggest party before parliament was dissolved has split with CPN Maoist launched by former Vice-chairman Mohan Baidhaya charging ruling communists for abandoning ideals and adopting a pro-India policy by aligning internally with Madeeshis. A rally will be held in Pokhara before the convention opening shortly afternoon. The industrial central town Hetauda is red. Closed door session begins Sunday. Fourteen police and 600 party security personnel have been mobilized for the meet immediately after the convention of CPN Maoist which adopted urban warfare as a policy. The split in the Maoist rank broke out seven month ago. Nnnn DETAILS OF AAHA GOLD CUP Kathmandu, 2 Feb.” Three Star Club is attempting a tac-trick Saturday in Pokhara by lifting the Cup for the thirdtime. The winter will bag Rs,250,000 and runner-up Rs,200,000. Opposition is boycotting the meet. Nnnn OPPOSITION ANTI-GOVT. RALLY IN BIRATNAGAR Kathmandu, 2 Feb.: Opposition is holding an anti-government rally in Biratnagar Saturday. NC”s Sher Bahadur Deuba is the party’s main speaker. Opposition held a rally to topple government from the street in Dalekh Friday. nnnn MAOIST CHIEF, LIKE PM, SAYS ELECTION IN MAY Kathmandu, 2 Feb.: Days before the first General Convention after the Maoist party joined mainstream politics, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is confident that polls in May are still a distinct possibility, The Kathmandu Post says.. . In an exclusive interview on Thursday—between hectic meetings with party workers on the eve of his departure for the party convention in Hetauda—Dahal dismissed suggestions that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai seemed averse to leaving Baluwatar, stressing that his party deputy was anxious to go for early election and there had already been an agreement between the two to hold one. The new government will be led by a neutral candidate and will have a fixed term, with its tenure coming to an automatic close once the polls are over. Can fresh polls take place by Jestha (end of May)? First, there can be polls by Jestha; second, there should be polls by Jestha. And for that the Maoist party is ready to do anything. What does ‘anything’ mean? The party is prepared to make any kind of sacrifice for holding the polls. Baburamji, as the prime minister, is also saying the same thing these days. I too have been saying the same thing in my capacity as party chairman. We put forth different alternatives, but none generated consensus; finally we said we were ready for a neutral government, one led by an independent person. In our internal deliberations, however, we were for a certain candidate. But now we are not sticking to that either. Even if the Congress comes up with a certain candidate and ensures elections by Jestha, we are ready for that, provided the person isn’t politically associated with their party. Alternatively, if the Congress, the UML, the President or any other force comes with any option that guarantees elections, we are ready to consider that, with polls as our focal point. The reasons that we still find polls possible and insist that they take place by Jestha are that, people are fed up with the current stalemate. In my talks with the President on Wednesday, I even stressed that it would be a pleasant surprise to go to the convention with consensus on a new government. Are you implying that the new developments are again in the direction of a neutral government? Yes, it is very much moving in that direction. What is the reaction of the Congress and the UML to this? The Congress and UML haven’t said that they have agreed to go for a neutral government, though some leaders obviously like the idea. However, the major leadership, Sushilji (NC president), is not yet ready to accept that. Within the UML, many have agreed to go for a neutral government, but a few may still be against the idea. Can we talk a bit about possible candidates who will lead the neutral government? Candidates…let’s not go into that now. So you sound optimistic that elections will take place by Jestha. Looking at the current situation, I am not just optimistic. I actually believe, to a larger extent, that it will happen. But since you have been concurrently raising the issue of fresh polls and CA revival, you don’t seem to be committed to elections. Lately, the agenda of CA revival is not our priority and we have very clearly said election is the priority. Does this mean there is no returning to CA revival? No, that possibility has ended now. As an agenda, the revival option is still there and it’s not that we have discarded it altogether. However, going to the polls is a better option now. But looking at your party’s government and PM Bhattarai’s position, he seems inclined to stay in office for a long time. Also, his approach reeks of authoritarianism. The first thing is that Baburamji is publicly saying that elections should take place by Jestha 15 (May 29). Second, Baburamji and I are having talks on how to move ahead. That Baburamji is being authoritarian and reluctant to leave the helm is not true. Baburamji is in fact ready to step down. He is actually anxious for a quick resolution of the current stalemate. People may have their own readings, but I absolutely haven’t found that he is not ready to step down. Actually, we have already agreed to have elections at any cost. nnnn