In a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Prachanda, a key maoist ideologue has resigned from Nepal’s Constituent Assembly.

Mohan Vaidya, a senior Maoist leader who has been opposing any flexibility in the radical commitment of the party, on Wednesday submitted his resignation to the prime minister, who is also the president of the party.

His resignation is unlikely to be forwarded to the speaker for that is sure to trigger confusion in the party rank and file ahead of the national conference of the party.

The 800-member national conference is to begin on November 10 to debate whether the party should toe Prachanda’s policy of working together with pro-democracy forces to establish a people’s republic in the long run or go for people’s republic instantly.

Vaidya has at least eight of the eleven central committee members of the party behind him. His resignation from the Constituent Assembly is likely to motivate his followers in the Constituent Assembly to follow suite.