As of writing this, the much publicized central committee meeting of the United Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist had not ended.


It dragged on after repeated postponement over the lack of “homework”


Homework or not, one thing is clear: the country’s largest party is struggling to keep its house in order.


The house may not be on the verge of an immediate collapse yet, but the man at the top of the house appears set to crumble.


Three of his deputies have ganged up against the all-powerful Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ The low-profile general secretary, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’  has joined the bandwagon of Mohan Vaidya, Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha.


All want Prachanda’s wings clipped and share the wings among them.


The wily chairman had been able to overcome such challenges. No longer. Majority of the central committee members have gone against him.


Reduced to a clear minority and facing a defeat he has repeatedly deferred the central committee meeting.


The vice-chairmen want to share of the pie. They say, Prachanda has been holding all important party positions. He heads the party, the parliamentary party and the military wing.


Others want the job distributed among them. Once this is done, the chairman will no longer enjoy the authority and power he now holds.


As others consolidate their positions the marginalization of Prachanda will surely speed up.


Prachanda has not given up hope yet. He is trying to buy time. He has asked to maintain the status quo until the extended CA deadline, i.e., August 31.


His rivals are not ready.


It is a losing battle that Prachanda is fighting. The beginning of the end. This process, once set in, may however not end at the Chairman. It has every chance of creep in the party he heads.