Rift Deepens in Unified Socialist as Khanal Plans to Form New Party

Internal conflict in the CPN (Unified Socialist) has intensified after senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal announced plans to form a new party. His move comes after Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal decided to merge the party with the Maoist Centre.

Khanal said the decision to unite with the Maoists was taken without proper discussion and that he was not even allowed to speak during Friday’s Central Committee meeting. He added that if continuing under the Unified Socialist name is not legally possible, his faction will register a new party.

He also mentioned submitting a 30-point note of disagreement during the meeting, expressing serious concerns over the merger process.

Other leaders, including Ramkumari Jhakri, Dr. Jagannath Khatiwada, and Ghanashyam Bhusal, have also opposed the merger, saying it should only happen after ideological and organizational reforms.

With multiple leaders rejecting the unification, the Unified Socialist now faces a possible split, signaling another shake-up in Nepal’s left-wing politics.