10 left parties unite to form Nepali Communist Party

KATHMANDU: Ten leftist parties, including the CPN (Maoist Center) and the CPN (Unified Socialist), formally announced their unification on Wednesday to form the Nepali Communist Party (NCP).

The declaration was made at the Unity National Conference of the NCP held at Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu, on Wednesday.

The unification brings together the Maoist Centre, Unified Socialist, Nepal Samajbadi Party, Janasamajwadi Party Nepal, Nepal Communist Party, CPN (Maoist Socialist), CPN (Samyabadi) and several other leftist forces.

The NCP will hold a general convention within six months to elect its new leadership. For now, the Maoist Center’s Pushpa Kamal Dahal will be the Coordinator of the new party, while Unified Socialist’s Madhav Kumar Nepal will be the Joint Coordinator.

Along with Dahal and Nepal, leftist leaders like Jhala Nath Khanal, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Bamdev Gautam, Mahendra Raya Yadav and Chiran Pun, among others, were present on the occasion.

Marxism-Leninism will be the guiding principle of the NCP, while its program will be based on “scientific socialism with Nepali characteristics”. The party has unveiled a five-pointed star as its election symbol.

Addressing the event, Unified Socialist leader and member of the Unification Coordination Committee, Pramesh Hamal, said that the unification of leftist forces was essential to achieve the goals of good governance, social justice, and economic transformation, and to advance the socialist revolution. He added that the immediate policy of the party is to defend the achievements of the democratic revolution, safeguard national sovereignty, promote good governance, ensure social justice, and build the foundations for socialism through socio-economic transformation and prosperity.

As per the agreement, a national unity convention will be organised within six months. The central committee will be formed by integrating the former central committees of the uniting parties based on mutual understanding. The committee will have a coordinator and a co-coordinator. Similar arrangements will be made at the provincial, district, municipal, and ward levels.

It has also been agreed that all processes related to the national unity convention, including delegate selection, organisational structure, and programme planning, will be based on mutual consent.