Gaire dubious about NCP unification by April 22

KATHMANDU, April 19: Nepali Communist Party (NCP) leader Thakur Gaire has said he is doubtful that the unification process of the party will conclude by April 22–the day of the formation of the original Communist Party of Nepal in 1949.

The ruling party has only three days to find consensus on the unity of lower level committees and wrap up the unification process. However, the party, which announced unification on May 17 last year, has not been able to resolve some core issues as the factions led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and Co-chair K P Sharma Oli are still at odds over the appointment of district-level leaders.

Nepal faction has insisted on appointing the leaders at districts on the basis of ‘seniority’ and ‘certain principles’ while Oli faction has said that ‘deserving candidates’ should be appointed to those posts.

“We are waiting for the merger process to end conclude. But there are still doubts the process will conclude before the deadline ends,” he told Reporters’ Club Nepal.

“Many April 22s have come and gone. I doubt the upcoming occasion will be the final one,” he added.

He also said that the possibilities of reaching consensus any time soon are thin.

“The leaders are far from agreement on the division of powers,” he furthered.