Bamdev Gautam merges his party with Unified Socialist

KATHMANDU: CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Unity National Campaign have officially merged.

The two parties formally completed unification in Kathmandu on Friday, bringing together the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led Unified Socialist and the Bamdev Gautam-led NCP Unity National Campaign.

Following the merger, Nepal and Gautam embraced each other, as did Gautam and senior Unified Socialist leader Jhala Nath Khanal.

Gautam had previously explored the possibility of unification with the CPN-UML. However, it did not materialize.

Although the unification is now formalized, party leaders say Gautam’s role and the position in the unified party has not been finalized yet. It has been said Unified Socialist will convene a meeting soon to decide on leadership positions.

After the split of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which had been formed through the unification of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre), Gautam had remained politically unaffiliated for a time before launching his own party, the CNP Unity National Campaign.