Are the Nepalese Maoists following a revolutionary strategy?

At the moment we don't know if the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)-or CPN (M)-is going to stand in the Constituent Assembly elections. According to the bourgeois media, they may not stand if the country does not become a republic first. Without an official statement from the party to this effect we know nothing.

Let us say the CPN (M) does stand in the election. The Indian Maoists have argued that a Maoist party cannot achieve power by electoral means. Other wilder voices have accused the CPN (M) of being revisionist and believing in the electoral path to power rather than the revoutionary path.

Why do people believe a maoist party cannot take power by electoral means? One reason (though certainly not the only reason) is because the existing ruling class will not give up power peacefully, whatever election results are achieved. In a bourgeois or semi-feudal society, 'democratic' processes are only allowed to exist insofar as a party that supports the existing national and international (imperialist) order is likely to be elected. When this is not the likely outcome parties are suppressed and coups occur. Look at the savage repression meted out against the electoral parties perceived to be sympathetic to the Maoists in the Phillipines. The Communists in Indonesia were massacred, even thought they were adopting peaceful, democratic methods. The US has even overthrown reformists like Allende and Aristide (ex-President of Haiti) in coups. It tried to overthrow the populist Chavez.

And the last example is the case we should consider. Unlike Allende and Aristide, Chavez had armed force behind him. He had the support of the army. The coup by US puppets therefore ended in a humiliating defeat for the imperialists. (Before people start jumping up and down, I am not endorsing Chavez's politics. But it must be clear, even to the most ideologically pure, that the US wants to see the back of Chavez because of his opposition to their interests.)

As Chairman Mao said-'power comes from the barrel of a gun'. Chavez did not come to power by the gun but by the ballot. But the gun guaranteed that his election win could not be reversed.

Is the CPN (M) going into the election with the same idea in mind. After all, its army still exists and still has access to its weapons. Does it see the PLA as its guarantee that the election will not be rigged against them? Or as its guarantee there will be no coup? Is this the correct strategy? I don't know. But I think people need to try to look at the CPN (M)'s strategy in a deeper manner. Just assuming that this heroic party has given up maoism because it is prepared to consider participation in elections is undialectical to say the least. Many of us believe that, one way or another, the events of the next couple of months may surprise us all.