Kathmandu : The Communist Party of Nepal (UML), conducted a two-month “Mission Grassroot” campaign from February 5 to April 9, aimed at strengthening and expanding the organization. Various levels of leaders were involved in the campaign to mobilize inactive workers.

According to the internal party directive sent to the lower level, UML received applications for membership from 1,196,096 individuals. This indicates that the party expects an increase in the number of its members.

However, there has been a significant decline in UML’s membership numbers. Many existing party members have not shown interest in renewing their membership.

According to a letter sent by President K.P. Sharma Oli to the lower committee, only 40% of the total existing members in Party have renewed their membership.

The exact total number is not mentioned in the report. However, according to public data available before the 10th National Convention held in Chitwan on Kartik 25, 2078 (November 11, 2021), UML’s had 850,000 organized members.

In the seventh point of the letter, it is stated, “With 40% renewal in the mission’s important objective of renewing party membership, removing names and details of individuals who have died, doubled, or are in inactive status or have left the party, and taking forward the process of new membership applications is expected to increase this number when the final details are prepared.”

However, even in the first week of Asar (mid-June), the number of renewals is significantly low. Party’s permanent committee member and head of the publicity department, Rajendra Gautam, acknowledged the decrease in the renewal count.

“During the unification between the Maoist Centre and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), there were 800,000 members. It seems that the number has decreased due to the increase in Maoist Centre’s membership,” Gautam said in an interview with Nepalpage “We have witnessed a decrease in the renewal count.”

According to him, at that time,Party had 500,000 members, and the Maoist Centre had 300,000 members, making a total of 800,000 members.

“In the merger, it was around a 60:40 ratio, but after the Maoist Centre separated, it decreased naturally,” Gautam added.

Regarding why Party showed 800,000 members at the tenth convention, Gautam couldn’t provide an answer to that question.

He only mentioned that the number presented during the unification process was different from the number of renewals.

On the 23rd of Falgun, 2077, there was a split in the Nepal Communist Party. The National Mahasammelan (General Convention) of the CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist) was held in Chitwan from the 11th to the 18th of Mangsir, 2078.

“Increasing the number in the party alone is not enough; the quality of the members must also increase. Therefore, if the number of members increases, it should be accompanied by a decrease in the number of inactive members,” said Gautam, the Chief of the Publicity Department.

According to Gautam’s statement, the number of members in the CPN (UML) was only 500,000. Even though 119,000 applications were received during the two-month recruitment campaign, the actual increase in the number of active members was significantly less, as many existing members did not renew their membership. Sher Bahadur Tamang, a member of the Standing Committee, demands an increase in the number of members until Asar 15.

“So far, only 56% of the renewal has been done,” Tamang said, “Even though the deadline for renewal was set until Asar 15, it has been extended, and the number will increase further.”

“Previously, when one person confirmed everyone’s list, the provision of renewal was removed to ensure personal presence. It was also mentioned that even for the representation in the ‘Mahasammelan’, there were enough numbers. However, after that provision was removed, it is observed that the number has significantly decreased,” Tamang explained the reason for the decrease in renewals.

An official from the CPN (UML) revealed that only half of the renewals have been completed so far.

“Renewal should reach 50%,” the official said, “No program has been initiated that can have an impact at the grassroots level. It is not seen that the party has gained attraction when not in power.”

Sher Bahadur Tamang, a member of the Standing Committee, also explains it from a political psychology perspective.

“It doesn’t matter who forms the government; what matters is whether people are attracted or not,” Tamang said.

After the results of the representative and provincial assembly elections held on November 21, 2022 did not meet expectations, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) has focused on strengthening the organization. It has removed leaders from various districts and non-geographical areas, making them full-time members.

The decrease in renewal can be attributed to various reasons. Rajendra Gautam, the head of the Publicity Department, claimed that the plan to reduce the number of party members is still in progress.

“We want to maintain a qualitative number along with increasing the number,” he said. “Categorization of active individuals in the party is necessary.”

Even those who joined the CPN (Maoist Centre) after the election in Mangsir have been discussing the issue of non-renewal of membership.

“They didn’t leave; they might have gone somewhere,” said Sher Bahadur Tamang, a member of the Standing Committee. “We don’t feel their absence has any impact. However, there is a difference in the organized membership of the CPN (Maoist Centre). It is a party based on mass, not just a party with a base in the urban areas.”

Leaders and activists of the CPN (Maoist Centre) have emerged from districts like Chitwan, Tanahu, Kathmandu, and Lalitpur.

The name of not renewing membership should be kept confidential.