The Sajha Party and Bibeksheel Nepali Party on Wednesday formally announced their merger and said the new unified party would be called Bibeksheel Sajha Party. 

At a programme organised in the Capital, Sajha Party coordinator and former BBC journalist Rabindra Mishra and Bibeksheel president Ujwal Bahadur Thapa signed an agreement document before announcing the unification of the two parties. 

Calling the unification a historical event in Nepali politics, Mishra said “this has given Nepal a new alternative political force.”  

“This unification has given Nepal an alternative to traditional political parties,” said Mishra, adding, “In the absence of such an alternative force, Nepal had no option than to vote for the same parties over and over again. Now, we have an option.” 

The party has adopted transparency, integrity, meritocracy and empathy as its main political principles. 

Talking about party’s political principles Mishra said, “The party will follow participatory democracy, welfare state and economy. It will have central left stance.”  

The party has said it would follow collective leadership. 

“The party will have neither right nor left political inclination. It will rather move forward,” said Thapa. 

On the need of a new political party in the country, Mishra said, “The existing political parties indeed had done commendable jobs in securing our rights, but they failed to take forward the achievements of the struggle.” “We must acknowledge their contribution for bringing the dawn of democracy and securing our rights which we are enjoying today. However, they couldn’t take the country on the path of prosperity,” added Mishra. “Their struggle was for rights. Our struggle is for prosperity, which is possible in our lifetime. We are adding one more step to the ladder they built.”

According to Mishra, over the decades only faces of individuals changed; not the face of the country.  

The new party has retained symbol of Sajha Party-a weighing balance—and its logo and election symbol as per the prior agreement. As Bibeksheel has come first in the name of the unified party, as it will be called Bibeksheel Sajha Party, Sajha’s symbol has been retained. 

Thapa said: “Our common goal of making Nepal peaceful and prosperous in our lifetime is the main factor behind this unification. We believe we can do it now. This determination and people’s support during local elections forced us to come together as one force.” 

Thapa added that the new party was not just a result of unification of two parties with similar visions, but a common platform for every citizen who wishes bring about a change in the country. 

Responding to charges that these two parties are “city-centric” and would end up being a “club of elites”, Mishra said, “We will expand our network throughout the country.”

The unified party is planning to contest the local elections in Province 2 scheduled for September 18. 

The unified party has formed a 34-member central committee after inducting 17 members each from both parties. So far, names of only 30 central committee members have been made public. Remaining four members will be nominated soon, the party said. 

The party plans to further expand the central committee up to 51 members. 

According to the agreement, both Mishra and Thapa will be co-coordinators of the central committee. The party has also formed an eight-member coordination committee with four members each from Sajha and Bibeksheel. 

Anusha Thapa, Govinda Narayan Timilsina, Nirupama Yadav, Mumaram Khanal, Ramesh Paudyal and Surya Raj Acharya will be in the coordination committee along with Mishra and Thapa. However, Mishra will preside over the party meetings. 

The party will also set up an autonomous disciplinary commission for overseeing and taking disciplinary action and an “eminent persons group” for advising the coordination committee on significant matters.