KATHMANDU, March 23: Leaders of the left alliance of the ruling CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center), who are tasked with finalizing the ideological and organizational policies of the unified party, plan to announce the two parties' formal unification on April 22, coinciding with the anniversary of the establishment of the Communist Party of Nepal in 1949.
The two parties that have successfully forged an electoral alliance in the parliamentary and provincial elections as well as in elections to key posts such as president, vice-president, the prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker, are now in a coalition government.
Of two separate task forces formed by the alliance, one has the task of finalizing the organizational structure of the to-be-formed unified party, and the other is tasked with finalizing ideological issues including an interim party statute.
“We have almost finalized the party's ideology, political line, interim statute and other issues. We will finalize all this soon as we are planning for a formal party unification on April 22, the establishment day of the Communist Party of Nepal,” said Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha.
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Leaders involved in the two-party negotiations said the sub-committee has prepared the draft of the organizational structure for the party, but they have not been able to finalize it as they couldn't hold detailed discussions as some of the taskforce members have now been appointed ministers.
Most members of the organizational structure taskforce have been appointed ministers, including coordinator Ram Bahadur Thapa. Maoist leader Thapa has become a home minister and among other members Ishwar Pokhrel is defense minister, Gokarna Bista is labor minister, Barshaman Pun energy minister, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel education minister, Matrika Yadav industry minister.
Likewise, members of the other taskforce including Pradeep Gyawali and Shakti Basnet have been appointed foreign minister and forest minister respectively. Another member, Dev Gurung, is now chief whip of the Maoist party.
“Many of our taskforce members have been appointed ministers and they are busy, but we will finalize everything as we have plenty of time till the April 22 unification deadline,” said organizational structure taskforce member Surendra Pandey. He further claimed that the taskforce has prepared the draft of the organizational structure and will finalize it shortly. Coordinator Thapa had convened a brief meeting at the home ministry on Wednesday.
The party organization taskforce has been finalizing the party interim statute, the structure of party rank and file and the unification of party sister wings, according to members. A standing committee, politburo and central committee are proposed for the organizational structure of the unified party. Leaders of both parties have agreed to finalize the entire party structure and its ideology through consensus before the unity general convention takes place, they said .
