Prachanda Warns Janardan Sharma: “Keep Your Dissent Within the Party”

Amid escalating internal tensions in the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre), Party Chair and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) has issued a stern warning to Vice Chair Janardan Sharma, asking him to express any dissenting opinions within party mechanisms and not in public forums.

During the ongoing Central Standing Committee meeting that began Friday, Dahal addressed Sharma directly, stating, “Any opinion should be voiced within the party. Speaking outside only damages the party discipline.”

Dahal emphasized that internal dissent is welcome within party procedures like central committee meetings and general conventions, but urged all leaders, including Sharma, not to fall into “factional traps or external manipulation.”

“No Action Being Taken for Expressing Views”

Dahal also rejected rumors that Sharma was facing disciplinary action simply for expressing a different view. “We even organized consultation meetings in all seven provinces in response to his past dissent,” Dahal stated, referring to Sharma’s previous written submission criticizing party leadership and demanding reforms.

He clarified that open discussions and differing opinions are essential to party democracy but must be handled internally, reinforcing the principle of “democratic centralism.”

Growing Rift Within the Maoist Party

Sharma has grown increasingly vocal in criticizing the leadership’s undemocratic practices, calling for a special general convention, leadership change, and ideological clarity. His dissent has triggered polarization within the party, with some accusing him of plotting a split.

Recently, Sharma alleged that certain leaders close to the party headquarters are attempting to isolate and discredit him. In a social media appeal earlier this week, he said, “Baseless narratives about party division have been promoted from the top level for over two years. Now those narratives are being weaponized to mislead the people.”

War of Words Escalates

Without directly naming Sharma, Dahal had previously mocked dissenters, saying some leaders were “playing childish games” and had been given “enough space to play around.”

Dahal loyalist Ram Prasad Sapkota (Deep Shikha) also lashed out in a cryptic social media post, calling Sharma an “opportunist without ideological limits” and implying his actions only benefit reactionary forces.

Meanwhile, Sharma’s supporters, like Sudan Kirati, have denounced the institutional trend of labeling dissent as treachery, calling instead for healthy ideological resistance. “Let us resist the culture of sycophancy that hides behind the excuse of preserving leadership legacy,” Kirati wrote.

Mahadiveshan the Turning Point?

Prachanda has proposed that major issues such as leadership changes and party direction be addressed in the upcoming Central Committee meeting in October and the subsequent General Convention. “If you want to change leadership, do it through the general convention,” he told the committee.

The party has seen similar infighting during past elections and major policy shifts, but observers say the current feud between Prachanda and Sharma reflects deeper structural discontent, especially among second-tier leadership seeking greater transparency and ideological renewal.

As internal debates continue, the Maoist party faces a crucial test: whether it can manage internal democracy without implosion, or face another wave of fragmentation in Nepal’s volatile political landscape.