Kathmandu, July 23
Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Party Nepal and Upendra Yadav-led Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal have finally agreed to unify their parties.
They, however, are yet to finalise name of the unified party and its leadership. Top leaders of both the parties have expedited discussions to conclude the months-long bid.
The two parties had partnered up in both phases of recent local level elections and contested the polls with a single election symbol. Therefore it was widely speculated that the parties were heading towards the unity sooner or later.
Now leaders of both the parties are determined to make the party one before local polls in Province 2 scheduled for September 18.
“The leaders are busy in discussions,” a source says, “If everything goes as planned, the merger will be finalised within July.”
Two options the leaders have been discussing for the name of new party are Naya Samajbadi Party Nepal and Naya Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal. Likewise, on the leadership model, they have been discussing about making Yadav the chairperson with executive power and Bhattarai the national chairperson or coordinator.
Meanwhile, it has been learned that Bhattarai has been facing questions from within the party for preparing for the merger.
At a meeting of the party’s Political Committee held yesterday, the party cadres asked if Bhattarai was too tired to lead, a source informed.
However Bhattarai is very eager for unification also because of the party’s poor show in recent polls.
