Following discussions on party reorganization across all seven provinces, a debate has recently emerged within the CPN-UML over whether the party needs reorganization or reunion.
Most office-bearers, who have concluded that the party can no longer move forward under the leadership of party Chairman KP Sharma Oli, are in favor of reorganization. To this end, they have already held discussions across all seven provinces and also collected suggestions from the grassroots level.
However, another faction within the UML that opposes reorganization has begun promoting the idea of reunion. Leaders including Vice-chairman Ram Bahadur Thapa and Secretary Mahesh Basnet, who support retaining Oli as chairman, are focused on this narrative.
According to UML leaders, more than 60 percent of leaders and cadres across the provinces have expressed support for party reorganization. Therefore, the Oli faction is allegedly trying to steer the discussion toward reunion rather than reorganization.
Of the party's 19 office-bearers, 10 are reportedly clearly in favor of reorganization. Leaders claim that only Thapa and Basnet are firmly opposed to reorganization.
UML leader Karna Thapa said that the reunion debate may have been introduced to overshadow calls for party reorganization.
"It might be an attempt to cast a shadow over the reorganization debate, but the party rank and file will not be stuck on it," he told Setopati. "The priority for the UML is reorganization, followed by leadership transfer or generational shift, party reform, and finally, functional unity."The same issue is now being raised within the NCP as well."
Therefore, Thapa argued, the reunion debate currently lacks both relevance and justification.
Gajendra Thapaliya, chairman of the Intellectuals' Council, also asserts that the UML currently needs reorganization rather than reunion.
"The need of the hour is reorganization and revival. This is the demand right down to the grassroots level. However, the leadership appears to be driven more by personal interests than by the sentiments of cadres or the needs of the movement," he told Setopati. “Maybe they are raising this debate because they are worried about their own future rather than the future of the party’s movement. But it has no justification, and this is not the time for it either.”
According to UML leaders, Oli wants reunion for two main reasons — to neutralize the ongoing reorganization debate that seeks to remove him from the chairmanship, and to restore his lost image in the name of communist reunion.
“Many believe that the dissolution of Parliament on December 20, 2020, and the disintegration of the then NCP led to politics slipping out of traditional command. Many believe this happened because of Oli. He is pushing the reunion debate to erase these allegations and return to power,” a UML leader said.
Most members of the UML secretariat had sought party reorganization, arguing that the party could no longer function effectively under Oli's leadership. The party subsequently formed a committee to collect suggestions. Even before the committee visited the provinces, Oli had already held virtual discussions with central committee members and district-level leaders. However, most provincial and district leaders reportedly favored reorganization.
Niraj Acharya, chief of the UML's publicity department, said that the party has adopted a policy of functional unity among leftist forces to protect, promote, and develop the Constitution, democracy, and federalism.
“We are advancing the policy of functional unity among leftist forces for the protection, promotion, and development of the Constitution, democracy, and federalism,” he said. “At present, only discussions on functional unity between the UML and the NCP are taking place. There has been no discussion on party unification.”
Like Oli, NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal has also expressed readiness for functional unity.
Dahal, who has repeatedly accused Oli of deceiving him with assurances such as “We will go to heaven or hell together,” has already indicated that cooperation with the UML will move forward again.
Dahal has repeatedly said that he was deceived by then prime minister Oli on the day a new ruling alliance was formed following a seven-point agreement between the Nepali Congress and the UML.
According to Dahal, Oli had assured him, saying, "There has been no agreement with the Nepali Congress; whether we go to heaven or hell, we will go together," only to later betray him.
Addressing a unity meeting and training program organized by the party’s Koshi province committee in Biratnagar on Friday, Dahal said that his party would work together with the UML on both parliamentary and street fronts.
"In the current situation, cooperation with the UML has become essential both to ensure a strong presence in Parliament and to strengthen street protests," he said.
Recalling his tendency to bring about "disruptions" throughout his political career, Dahal also announced that there would be another new disruption at the upcoming general convention.
This has sparked speculation about whether he is preparing for party reunification or to accept leadership under someone else.
