Dahal admits power- and position-centric politics was a mistake

KATHMANDU, July 1: Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal has admitted that the party leadership drifted away from its long-term strategic goals and became preoccupied with power, positions and personal interests.

Addressing a party gathering in Pokhara, Dahal described the peace process and the promulgation of the constitution as historic achievements but said the party lost its strategic direction afterward.

"We did not make a mistake by signing the peace agreement or promulgating the constitution. But we abandoned our strategy and began treating tactics as strategy. We became limited to winning elections, forming governments, becoming ministers and serving as prime minister," he said.

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Dahal said that after the constitution was promulgated, the party leadership became entangled in short-term interests and power-centric politics. According to him, competition that was once driven by the struggle for people's rights gradually shifted toward securing positions, privileges and financial gains.

"We once competed to secure people's rights, but later we started competing for positions, benefits and money. The mistake began at the top, and that culture spread throughout the party. The leadership repeatedly aligned with the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and at times other parties just to become prime minister. That had repercussions across the party," he said.

He also acknowledged that socialist values had weakened within the party, while individualism, self-interest and opportunism had become more dominant. Although the party continued to advocate socialism, its actions increasingly reflected capitalist, individualistic and self-serving practices, he said.

Dahal said that while the public had once expected the communist movement to bring transformative change, the party's conduct had eroded that confidence.

"People once believed the communist movement would deliver major change. But later they came to see us as even more eager than the Nepali Congress or UML to do anything for power, prestige and money," he said.