In stark contrast to the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (CPN-M)’s stated principle of civilian supremacy, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has resumed the post of supreme commander of the ‘People’s Liberation Army’, the military wing of the party. The decision to restore him to the post after a gap of 13 months was taken at the party’s recently-held meeting of the Central Committee. The Committee also adopted the multi-post system within the party that does away with the centralised arrangement that conferred plenipotentiary powers on the Chairman.

Prachanda had quit the post in pursuit of the CPN-M’s declared policy of civilian supremacy after he became the Prime Minister in July last year. He quit as the Prime Minister on May 4, a day after President Rambaran Yadav reinstated Nepal Army Chief R Katawal. Katawal had been asked by the Prime Minister on charges of insubordination and defiance of civilian supremacy. Ever since, the CPN-M has made ‘civilian supremacy’ its principle slogan and a condition for extending support to other parties.

Meanwhile, Nepal’s top political leaders agreed to establish a high-level mechanism to give momentum to the stalled peace process and set up a task force to work out its modalities. Opposition Maoist chief Prachanda and other leaders met Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala at his residence to discuss the issue.