BAGLUNG, April 15: At a time when speculation is rife that the unification between the ruling CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) could be delayed by a few weeks due to growing difference between the two parties, CPN Maoist (Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that the two parties will be formally united on April 22, the date set by the merger coordination committee for the announcement of the party unification.
“All the preparations required for the party unification has been completed. As the review of the interim statue of the to-be-united party took some time, we had to postpone the unification date to April 22. The two ruling parties will be united on the set date,” Dahal said. The scheduled date of April 22 for the unification of the two parties coincides with Lenin's birth anniversary.
Earlier, talking to Republica, leaders of the CPN (Maoist Center) had said that the planned unification between their party and the CPN-UML could be delayed by a few weeks, or even a few months, due to widening distrust between the two sides. They said the UML's upper hand in crucial decisions relating to governance and power-sharing was the main reason behind the change in the Maoists' stance.
Oli, Dahal decide to resume party unification talks
However, Dahal said that since it is the wish of the general public to see the two parties united and emerge as a powerful political force, there was no option to backtrack from the unification. “Nepali people have handed over the responsibility of the country's development to leaders of the two parties through election. Plus, the unification is also a historical opportunity for communist parties of the country to be one and lead the country toward prosperity. So, we just have to take the unification process to a logical end,” he said while inaugurating the first trade fair in Dhorpatan on Saturday.
Dahal said that the unification of the two parties will make the current government further strong, which will have full leverage to drive the country toward economic prosperity.
“Due to frequent changes in the government, Nepal could not make desirable progress in development and economic growth. But we are confident that a strong government following the party unification will end decades-long political instability and pave way for a stable government and economic development,” he added.
He said that the new government will make optimum utilization of natural resources for the country's development.
Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa urged his party will cooperate with the ruling parties when it comes to infrastructure development and economic prosperity of the country.
