Nepal's UCPN-Maoist won't split: Prachanda

UCPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda today ruled out any possibility of a split in the Nepal's main opposition party, riddled with rifts among the top leadership.
There is no possibility of a split in the party at the time of concluding the peace process and drafting the Constitution, Prachanda told reporters in southern Nepal's Chitawan district.
"My relationship with Baburam Bhattarai is long. I have been in debate and dialogue with him since the party's fifth general convention some three decades back," Prachanda said about his relations with the senior party leader.
"The ideological debate between us might sound strange, but it is like a cup of tea for us," the Maoist chief said.

He claimed that any internal dispute in the party would be resolved through a new process.
Bhattarai-led faction of the party has accused Prachanda of shying away from the line of peace and constitution.

An informal meeting of the Bhattarai faction held on Wednesday concluded that Prachanda wants to provoke an intra-party rift with the aim of disturbing the ongoing peace and constitution drafting process, E Kantipur reported yesterday.
Dahal supporters have dismissed the allegation saying it was the rival faction's propaganda to cover up its anti-party activities, the report added.
The former Nepalese prime minister strongly favoured writing Nepal's constitution within the stipulated time frame.

He expressed confidence that the "people's constitution" would be delivered by November deadline.
Prachanda said his party is in continuous dialogue with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala for taking the peace process to a logical conclusion.
Prachanda described the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal as a new dimension in the bilateral relations.