Valley
Two Maoists planning to hold joint conclave
UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist are preparing to organise a joint general convention to formally announce the merger between the two parties.UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist are preparing to organise a joint general convention to formally announce the merger between the two parties.
Senior leaders from the two parties, including UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya, are holding regular meetings these days to discuss the terms of unification.
Despite some differences, leaders from both parties said, the two forces are ready for merger this time. Earlier, the two Maoist parties had made an unsuccessful attempt at unification after the dissolution of first Constituent Assembly (CA) in 2013. The merger did not materialise after Baidya asked Dahal to give up the CA process.
This time, however, the merger between the two parties is a certain, given the changed political scenario and promulgation of the new constitution, claimed the leaders from both parties. The unification has become somewhat a matter of compulsion for the two parties since they have lost a significant number of supporters over the years.
The unification talks between the two parties picked speed soon after Baburam Bhattarai quit UCPN (Maoist) two months ago.
If things go as planned, the two parties could hold the general convention within next two to three months.
Top leaders of the two parties are currently discussing how the new constitution should be viewed. UCPN (Maoist) has said that though the promulgation of the constitution from the CA is a great achievement, there are still some issues that need to be addressed.
Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist has said that the constitution should not be seen as an achievement and there is still a need for a greater political struggle to achieve the goals set by the party.
UCPN (Maoist) Spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said the unification process will move forward once the two parties have settled the differences regarding the constitution.
The CPN (Maoist) is still of the view that UCPN (Maoist) should shun the parliamentary line for the unification, arguing that the latter has been trapped in parliamentary system which has been institutionalised by the constitution.
Sharma, however, said that the argument does not hold up well in the changed circumstance.
He added the unification will surely take place as it is a demand of time.