Kathmandu : Editorial commentary : Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has reiterated the demand to reunite the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) only in the month of June/July for the fourth time. He has claimed that he will return to the NCP on July 1 in Pokhara, July 2 in Kathmandu, and May 16 in Dang. “We are saying that we should return to the NCP again; we have to unite the party,” Prachanda said at a program in Kathmandu on Sunday. “Even though we have failed once, we must learn from it and move forward with the goal of advancing because the history of communist and socialist movements around the world has progressed through unity, struggle, division, and transformation. Nepal’s communist movement is also moving forward according to the same pattern.”

He stated that the political situation for rebuilding the NCP is not yet created, contrary to his earlier claim when he became the Prime Minister through the cooperation of the Nepali Congress, Janata Samajwadi Party, and US faction led by Madhav Nepal. Prachanda’s statement has created speculation as to why he brought up the topic of NCP reunification when he had agreed to lead the government jointly with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba for a half-term each. After the formation of the Socialist Democratic Front by the merger of Maoist, Unified Socialist, JSP, and Chand-led parties, the possibility of Prachanda returning to the old NCP has emerged.

According to leaders from the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and Maoists, there have been no formal or informal dialogues about splitting the NCP. While there is ideological agreement among the communist parties to unite, there is no possibility of personal battles among the leaders. Although senior vice-chairperson, deputy prime minister, and home minister of the Maoists, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, has emphasized the need for unity among the communist parties, there is currently no dialogue on this matter. “We have already formed the NCP, and there hasn’t been any discussion about splitting it,” he said. “Although it is necessary for the communist parties to merge and form a single NCP, I don’t have any information about any discussions on this.”

During their alliance with the Congress in the government, there is currently no likelihood of an immediate return to the NCP. While the former main faction of the UML is in the opposition coalition led by the Maoists, even if the alliance between the Maoists and the unified socialist party is formed into the Socialist front, the NCP will remain in name only. The NCP’s vice-chairperson, Prithvi Subba Gurung, stated that discussions about returning to the NCP have been politically manipulative, considering the situation where the Maoists were previously under the alliance with the UML. “The current discussion about reuniting the NCP is just a political stunt,” he said. “The left alliance government changed three months after its formation, and Prachanda’s move to sideline party workers is just a political maneuver.”

When questioned about the government’s performance, Prachanda accused Gurung of giving a symbolic message to return to the NCP. Raghujee Pant, a member of the UML’s standing committee, claimed that there is no possibility of an immediate return to the NCP.

According to Ghanashyam Bhusal, the general secretary of the Unified Socialist, the former Maoists, UML and now representing the Socialist Party, the old NCP has only a “sweet perception” due to the power coalition and other political circumstances. “The perception of the NCP’s history is sweet,” he said. “But at present, it has not taken any concrete shape.” The Supreme Court dissolved the NCP on Phagun 23, 2077 BS during the power struggle between former UML chairs KP Sharma Oli and Prachanda.

After that, the Maoists and the Unified Socialist returned to their former state. In 2074, BS the two parties formed an alliance for the provincial and federal elections, which resulted in the unification of the parties on Jestha 3, 2075. BS Prime Minister Prachanda expressed his regret that the NCP’s division did not hold anyone accountable. “There was a terrorist-like situation among the reactionaries and revolutionaries, but unfortunately, we couldn’t save it,” he said. “I don’t blame anyone for that.”

After Netra Bikram Chand joined the Socialist Front, Prachanda has been carrying out the task of maintaining unity among the former Maoists. For this purpose, he has appointed Krishna Bahadur Mahara as the deputy chairman. “Former Maoists are also engaged in discussions and are working towards unity. We need to make strong efforts for party unity,” Prachanda said in Pokhara on Saturday. Agni Prasad Sapkota, the deputy chairman of the Maoists, mentioned the possibility of unity after a serious review of the NCP’s division. “For unity, there should be clarity in ideology, direction, and strategy,” he said. “The division has made everyone cautious.” He stated that the communist parties will be united due to political circumstances. “I have gained confidence that NCP unity is possible,” he said. Leftist political analyst and Maoist secretary Ram Karki also stated that party merger for personal gains and division would hinder the progress of the leftist movement. “We need to look at unity and division together.”

UML Chairman Oli is also seeking the reasons behind the NCP’s division. He has accused the main characters in the division, Prachanda and Madhav Nepal. On July 10, during the book launch event of UML leader Keshav Badal, Oli mentioned the need to search for the reasons behind the NCP’s division. “Our party was divided two and a half years ago. What were the reasons behind it? What were the intentions? Why did the division happen? Why was it done? What kind of circumstances led to that division? These questions need to be thoroughly analyzed,” he said. “We need a true analysis of all these aspects for the benefit of the movement and for a better future.”

The proposal of the Maoists and the CPN-UML on Unification

Both the CPN-UML and the Maoists have blamed each other for the division of the NCP in their respective documents. They have also mentioned their ongoing efforts towards unity between the communist parties.

Although the Supreme Court dissolved the NCP, the possibility of reuniting the party is mentioned in the CPN-UML’s documents. “Legally and politically, the process of NCP’s unification may have been disrupted, but our honest and sincere efforts to unite the Nepali communist movement have not ceased,” states the CPN-UML’s document. It further highlights the ideological deviations, organizational chaos, opportunism, and instability that the Maoists have experienced. The document explains that the unification process was hindered due to Prachanda’s thoughts and behavior, which aimed at seizing control of the party and division.

The CPN-UML’s document also mentions their ongoing efforts to achieve unity among the communists. “The CPN-UML is moving forward in a new form today,” states the document. “Efforts to unify the communist movement will continue.”

The Maoists’ document, passed in their 2078 Poush party convention, accuses CPN-UML Chairman Oli of being a self-centered extremist with an arrogant character, running the party and the government against consensus, and having anti-Marxist tendencies, feudalistic, opportunistic, and reactionary behavior. It further states that Oli’s faction led the party to extreme factionalism and unhealthy internal conflicts. The document also mentions Oli’s intention to disregard the constitution and dissolve the House of Representatives, which led to hostile conflicts within the party.

The Maoists’ document emphasizes their struggle against Oli’s expansionism and their initiative for communist unity. “Despite the Constitution and contrary actions and the unnatural political decisions of the Election Commission and the Parliament Secretariat, the party’s unity remained unsuccessful,” states the Maoists’ document. “But our party is still in favor of unity and will remain so.”