KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Rastriya Prajatantra Party - Nepal (RPP-N) Chairman Kamal Thapa said that attempts made for unification with Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have failed and the chapter is now closed as RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana unilaterally decided to send his party members to join the new government.
"A chapter has ended here. We failed to understand Rana's politics. The unification cannot go forward in the present circumstances," said Thapa while addressing a press conference on Tuesday.
Thapa alleged Rana of not even maintaining courtesy and political character since he decided unilaterally to appoint ministers in the cabinet just ahead of the unification.
"Rana chose government instead of unification. He chose power instead of a strong nationalist party," Thapa added.
He also alleged Rana of coming under the influence of unseen power and stopping the unification process. "I won't blame others. Rana is the only person responsible for the failure of the unification process," said Thapa.
"The unification process started when Lokendra Bahadur Chand was RPP chairman. The last meeting under Chand's chairmanship had decided to complete the unification process but as soon as Rana came into power within the party, the unification process hit a snag," Thapa added.
Thapa said that the failure of the unification process has made nationalist force weak again.
Meanwhile, a group of RPP central committee members have been preparing to submit a memorandum to Chairman Rana to inform the central committee why the unification process was stalled.
"We will certainly ask the chairman to restart the unification process soon as the decision for unification of the two parties was unanimously done by the central committee but stopped by the chairman unilaterally," said RPP Central Committee Member Jayanta Chand.
"Chairmen of both the parties had issued a joint press release on Saturday declaring that the two parties will unite on Tuesday but on the eve of the unification day, Chairman Rana issued another press release urging party cadres not to join the unification ceremony. We are surprised to see the latest press release," said Chand.
However, RPP leader Deepak Bohara claimed that the chapter of unification process has yet not ended.
"We saw some flaws in the interim statute prepared for the unified party. We want to have a balance. We are still open for unification process as we had taken the decision unanimously. Sooner than later the unification will take place," claimed Bohara.
Rana recommended Bohara and another leader Bikram Pandey for the post of ministers in the cabinet led by CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
RPP-N is the fourth largest party in the parliament with 25 seats while RPP has 12 seats in the House.