Prachanda bats for directly elected president, proportional electoral system

Kathmandu, December 7 — The Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, has stated that the time has come to change the political course. While inaugurating the second convention of the Gorkha-Kathmandu Coordination Committee of the Maoist Centre, Prachanda clarified that the political course can only be changed by altering the form of governance and the electoral system.

He recalled that during the party’s recent meeting, they had predicted a clash between maintaining the status quo of the republic and creating a people’s republic. He said that the time for that clash has now arrived. Prachanda emphasized that to strengthen the people's republic, it is necessary to move towards a system where there is a directly elected executive head of state, a fully proportional electoral system, and where ministers are experts, not just elected MPs.

He stressed the importance of a strong movement and that the Maoist party must grow stronger for this cause. Prachanda pointed out that the people are increasingly realizing that, compared to other parties, the Maoist Centre remains faithful to the nation and the cause of change.

Prachanda mentioned that the opposition has given the Maoist Centre an opportunity to return to the people. He said the party has started to turn towards the people, which has had a positive effect across the country, with some districts even beginning to return to the state they were in during the election of first Constituent Assembly. He also noted that the results of the recent by-elections reflect this shift. He believes that with continued effort, this change will spread nationwide.

Chairman Prachanda also noted that the process of unity had begun following the cessation of divisions within the party. He said no group or leader could stop this movement, as it is driven by the will of the workers and the people. He highlighted that ideological and leadership centralization within the party will make it possible to advance the socialist movement. He emphasized the need to unite the various factions within the party to move forward.

He pointed out that Gorkha district has played a leading role in defending the party's ideological and physical base in recent times, even without the preparation or operation of a people's war. Prachanda also mentioned that, despite the overall despair in the country, Gorkha made history by winning nine local levels in 2022, and now, in the by-elections, it has made another history by winning in areas where it had previously lost.

On this occasion, Chairman Prachanda honored Bishnu Rana, the newly elected ward chairman from Gorkha Municipality-5, who had won in the recently concluded local by-elections.