‘Leftist alliance a threat to democracy!’

KATHMANDU, Oct 4: The ruling party Nepali Congress has termed the alliance among the leftist parties a threat to democracy.

In a dramatic turn of events, the three leftist parties, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Naya Shakti Party formally announced the electoral alliance and unity process on Tuesday.

UML Chair KP Oli, MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Naya Shakti Coordinator Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai inked a six-point deal Tuesday on forging an electoral alliance, forming committees and task-forces to finalize the unification, preparing a joint manifesto for upcoming elections, preparing a party statute and other documents, and not trading blame in the transitional period, among other things.

The party also formed a joint committee led by Oli and Dahal in order to coordinate the unification process.

The unification and electoral announcement just a month before the parliamentary and province assembly elections has brought a new wave in the Nepalese politics.

The ruling party Nepali Congress described the electoral alliance among the communist parties on the eve of elections as an ‘unnatural and undemocratic step.’ Leader Nidhi said that the decision of the ruling partner MC was a big historical mistake. Leader Nidhi even claimed that the unification may even affect the election.

NC leader Chandra Bhandari argued that the unification among the leftist parties would be a threat to democracy.

NC leader Dr Ram Saran Mahat also backed Bhandari and termed the unification process as a game to end the democracy and its achievements.

Although the leftist leaders have expedited the unification talks, even some communist leaders have criticized the efforts as unification among the opportunists.

“It’s an unnatural unification process,” said Mohan Baidhya while talking to Rishi Dhamala adding, “It’s the unification of opportunists.”

“The Maoist Center is totally abandoning its revolutionary path,” he added.

“Polarization among the revolutionary forces is the today’s current need,” he further added, “Revolutionary polarization should be expedited now.”

Another leftist leader Mohan Bikram Singh welcomed the merger call and described it as a positive step.

There has been a huge political impasse in Nepalese communist movement whether which party is leftist or non-leftist; or communist or non-communist. It is a matter of a long political discussion- which needs analysis from various political angles.