Five different Maoist parties today celebrated the birth anniversary of Chinese Leader Mao at four different places and criticized each other.

The CPN-Maoist, which waged a decade-long ‘people’s war’ following the path of Mao, is now split into five different parties — Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Unified CPN-Maoist, Mohan Baidhya-led CPN-Maoist, Mani Thapa-led Revolutionary Communist Party, Matrika Yadav-led CPN (Maoist) and Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist.

Recently formed CPN Maoist today organized a mass demonstration at Khula Manch where party convener Netra Bikram Chand warned of another armed struggle if the achievements of the Maoist movement were not institutionalized.

While addressing the function at party headquarters in Paris Danda today, UCPN-M Chair Dahal said the strategy of long-term armed struggle would be futile in Nepal in present context. Dahal, hinting at Chand’s warning to take up arms if necessary, said all Maoist forces must unite to achieve their common goal.

He further said the counter-revolutionary forces were successful at dividing the unified Maoist force into many parties so as to obliterate them.

Meanwhile, at Khula Manch, Chand said UCPN-M Chair Dahal, senior leader Baburam Bhattarai and CPN-Maoist leaders, including Mohan Baidhya, had deviated from the revolutionary path and therefore he had to rise to the challenge. “People had sent them (leaders) as commanders but they have turned into jokers and billionaires,” he said.

On the other hand, Baidhya-led CPN-M today held its first national conference at Om Sai Party Palace in Old Baneshwor. Baidhya vented his ire at Chand for splitting the party. He said Chand was truly a rightist opportunist in the guise of a Marxist reports RSS.