KATHMANDU: The proposed unification between the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) and the Janamat Party has been indefinitely postponed following NUP Patron Resham Chaudhary’s sudden arrest and subsequent release on April 30.
The process was derailed when Chaudhary was arrested at the venue where the two parties were holding a formal program for party unification. Leaders of both parties are uncertain about when, or whether, the unification will happen.
Chaudhary, who spent years in prison after being convicted for the Tikapur massacre, had recently been released through a presidential pardon. However, as preparations for the unification ceremony at Nepal Academy hall were underway, he was arrested again on the basis of a forged letter from the Supreme Court. The official responsible for issuing the letter, Mahiman Singh Bisht, was arrested the same day, and Chaudhary was released after a few hours. Despite his release, the unification process has not moved ahead.
Following Chaudhary’s arrest, Janamat Party Chairperson CK Raut announced the halt in the unification process. Despite widespread speculation that unification would quickly resume after Resham’s release, leaders from both parties remain non-committal.
NUP General Secretary Gangaram Tharu issued a statement after the incident, thanking party workers and supporters who were present at the unification event. However, he made no mention of next steps in the unification process, hinting that immediate unification is not on the cards.
Internal Conflicts Undermining Unity
Both parties are currently dealing with internal power struggles. Within NUP, tension between Chaudhary and party chairperson Ranjita Shrestha, also his spouse, has intensified.
Janamat is also experiencing internal discord, with CK Raut taking disciplinary action against leaders for allegedly violating the party’s constitution.
Sources say both parties pursued unification efforts without resolving internal conflicts. Now, leaders say a merger will only proceed after agreement is reached on power sharing at the central level.
“We had only finalized who would assume the positions of chairperson and co-chairperson post-merger,” Janamat Vice Chairperson Abdul Khan said. “There is no need for a rush now. We will announce unification only after addressing all outstanding issues.”
NUP leader Lalbir Chaudhary, who is also Chaudhary’s father, said they have decided to delay the unification for now to investigate Chaudhary’s arrest. “We are trying to get to the bottom of what happened that day. What if something like this happens again?” he said.
Leaders say the two parties had not held power-sharing talks on second-tier leaders. They had only agreed to create a 700-member central committee with 50-50 representation. Likewise, there was a plan to have a 51-member central work performance committee as well as a 25-member secretariat with equal representation from both parties, with Chaudhary as the patron. The two parties had also agreed to name the merged entity as Nagarik Janamat Party, while retaining NUP’s election symbol – Dhakya (bamboo basket).
However, some Janamat leaders reportedly objected to NUP having one more member in the secretariat and work-performance committee. “We want unity with full consensus,” Khan said. “We are trying to prevent any possible conflict after unification. Even small issues will be addressed beforehand.”
To achieve a balance, preparations are underway to expand the size of committees. We also hope to finalize district-level arrangements before moving ahead, Khan added.
Ranjita’s Role Adds Complexity
Janamat leaders point to NUP’s internal dynamics as a key obstacle to unification.
While Chaudhary holds de facto control over the party, Ranjita is the legally recognized party chairperson and parliamentary party leader. This dual power center has created confusion in the party.
“We don’t know whose orders to follow – the one with authority or the one with legal standing,” a Janamat leader told Himal Press.
Resham led the unification process and agreed to serve as patron, allowing CK Raut to take the role of chairperson and assigning Ranjita the position of co-chairperson.
Although Ranjita was dissatisfied with being sidelined in the unification process, she had reluctantly become a part of the process under pressure. Chaudhary’s arrest on April 30, however, brought everything to a halt.
