Communist Party of Nepal
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party of Nepal was founded in Calcutta, India
, on April 29, 1949. CPN was formed to struggle against the autocratic Rana regime
, feudalism
and imperialism
. The founding general secretary was Pushpa Lal Shrestha
.
CPN played an important role in 1951 uprising that overthrew the Rana regime. After the Raksha Dal revolt in 1952, the CPN was banned on January 24, 1952.
In 1954 the first party congress was held clandestinely in Patan. Manmohan Adhikari was elected general secretary.
In April 1956 the ban on the party was lifted.
In 1957 the second party congress was held in Kathmandu. For the first time the party could hold its congress openly. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi
was elected general secretary. The congress approved a republican party programme.
Rayamajhi supported the 1960 royal coup. This position prompted Ajoy Ghosh
, leader of the Communist Party of India
to advice Rayamjhi to rectify his positions and retain the struggle against the monarchy. In early 1961 all political parties were banned. A wave of repression against CPN was initiated by the government. Rayamajhi, had however, expressed certain faith in the politics of the monarch, something that provoked stern reaction from other sectors of the party. To resolve the conflict a Central Plenum was convened in Darbhanga
, India
. The plenum lasted one month. Three lines emerged, a pro-constitutional monarchy line led by Rayamajhi, a line that wanted to restore the dissolved parliament and launch broad mass movements led by Pushpa Lal and a third line which favoured a constitutional assembly led by Mohan Bikram Singh. The latter line emerged victorious, but its sole representative in the Central Committee was Singh.
In April 1962 one section of the party convened a 3rd party congress in Varanasi
, India
. The congress approved the programme of National Democratic Revolution proposed by Tulsi Lal Amatya, and elected Tulsi Lal as general secretary. The congress decided to expel Rayamjhi. But the sector led by Rayamajhi, who controlled the Central Committee, did not recognize this congress as legitimate. Effectively the party had now been divided into two, one Communist Party led by Tulsi Lal Amatya
and one Communist Party led by Keshar Jung Rayamjhi
. These in turn faced further splits, mergers and renaming.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, on April 29, 1949. CPN was formed to struggle against the autocratic Rana regime
Rana dynasty
The Rana dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1953, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other government positions hereditary...
, feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
and imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
. The founding general secretary was Pushpa Lal Shrestha
Pushpa Lal Shrestha
Pushpa Lal Shrestha was the founding general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal as well as the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal ....
.
CPN played an important role in 1951 uprising that overthrew the Rana regime. After the Raksha Dal revolt in 1952, the CPN was banned on January 24, 1952.
In 1954 the first party congress was held clandestinely in Patan. Manmohan Adhikari was elected general secretary.
In April 1956 the ban on the party was lifted.
In 1957 the second party congress was held in Kathmandu. For the first time the party could hold its congress openly. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi
Keshar Jung Rayamajhi
Keshar Jung Rayamajhi is a Nepalese politician. He was a leading figure in the communist movement in the country, but later turned into a royalist. Rayamajhi hails from a landlord Chetri family in Tansen, Palpa district....
was elected general secretary. The congress approved a republican party programme.
Rayamajhi supported the 1960 royal coup. This position prompted Ajoy Ghosh
Ajoy Ghosh
Ajoy Kumar Ghosh was a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India. In 1934, he was elected to the Central Committee of the CPI and in 1936 he was elected to its Polit Bureau. In 1938, he became the member of the editorial board of the Party's mouthpiece, the National Front...
, leader of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
to advice Rayamjhi to rectify his positions and retain the struggle against the monarchy. In early 1961 all political parties were banned. A wave of repression against CPN was initiated by the government. Rayamajhi, had however, expressed certain faith in the politics of the monarch, something that provoked stern reaction from other sectors of the party. To resolve the conflict a Central Plenum was convened in Darbhanga
Darbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The plenum lasted one month. Three lines emerged, a pro-constitutional monarchy line led by Rayamajhi, a line that wanted to restore the dissolved parliament and launch broad mass movements led by Pushpa Lal and a third line which favoured a constitutional assembly led by Mohan Bikram Singh. The latter line emerged victorious, but its sole representative in the Central Committee was Singh.
In April 1962 one section of the party convened a 3rd party congress in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The congress approved the programme of National Democratic Revolution proposed by Tulsi Lal Amatya, and elected Tulsi Lal as general secretary. The congress decided to expel Rayamjhi. But the sector led by Rayamajhi, who controlled the Central Committee, did not recognize this congress as legitimate. Effectively the party had now been divided into two, one Communist Party led by Tulsi Lal Amatya
Communist Party of Nepal (Amatya)
Communist Party of Nepal, also referred to as Communist Party of Nepal was a communist party in Nepal. It emerged out of a split in the original Communist Party of Nepal in 1962...
and one Communist Party led by Keshar Jung Rayamjhi
Communist Party of Nepal (Rayamjhi)
Communist Party of Nepal was a small communist party in Nepal. The group was formed by Keshar Jung Rayamajhi after he was expelled from the pro-Soviet Communist Party of Nepal in September 1983, due to his pro-monarchic actions. Rayamjhi's new party held a 'Special Congress' in March 1984. The...
. These in turn faced further splits, mergers and renaming.