The party was formed two years ago, following the split from the UCPN (Maoist).

Chand, who was campaigning for another armed rebellion since last year, plans to announce his own party after necessary homework, said his close aide and CPN-M politburo member Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma.

In a statement submitted to the party on Monday, Chand said his faction decided to “divorce” with the establishment following failed efforts to end the uncertainty surrounding the party.

No one from the Chand faction attended the final day of the Central Committee (CC) plenum on Monday.

“Activities of senior party leaders including comrade Kiran [Baidya] have further exacerbated party’s impasse and uncertainty instead of ending it,” Chand said in the statement.

Baidya had on Sunday told the dissident leaders to either follow the party discipline or leave the party.

Party spokesperson Pampha Bhusal in a statement appealed the dissident faction not to leave the party. The CC full meeting also urged the agitating leaders to re-assume their respective duties by correcting their mistakes, reads the statement.

Bishwokarma said they decided to form a separate party after the leadership failed to embrace divergent views. He claimed that the establishment wanted to hand over the party back to UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

“We split from the UCPN (Maoist) to complete the unfinished rebellion but the leadership did nothing than describing it in theories. They do not want to even hear about the rebellion now,” Bishwokarma told the Post.

The rift between the two factions had begun on July when Chand challenged Baidya by presenting a separate political document during the Central Committee meeting.

When asked whether the planned party plans ‘armed rebellion’, Bishwokarma said their immediate plan include continuing struggle for the ‘people’s constitution’ by demanding all-party assembly outside the Constituent Assembly, a demand originally raised by the CPN-Maoist.

“We will lead the rebellion if need be. The decision will be taken after discussing with the party leaders,” said Bishwokarma.

Leaders from the establishment faction claim the spilt would neither affect the party as Chand does not have enough cadres. They said it would be ‘sheer folly’ to go to another rebellion with such meager support. 

Bishwokarma is the only politburo member to support Chand but enjoys considerable following in the central committee and district committee. Most of the young leaders are former guerillas. Around 12 CC members and 20 alternative CC members are currently on the Chand panel. He also has significant following in party’s sister wings, including Civil Servants’ Union, trade unions, students’ union and journalists’ union.

“We have decided not to make the name public now but there are enough people to form party and lead another rebellion,” said Santosh Budamagar, a CC member.