Nepal Communist Party


The Nepal Communist Party is the ruling political party in Nepal and is the largest communist party in South Asia and the third largest in Asia. It was founded on 17 May 2018, from the unification of two leftist parties, Communist Party of Nepal and Communist Party of Nepal. The unification was completed by the Party Unification Coordination Committee, after eight months of planning. The two predecessor parties subsequently dissolved, making way for the new united party. The party retains the electoral symbol of the CPN, the sun. The party is the largest political party in the House of Representatives, National Assembly and in all provincial assemblies except No. 2. KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal since 15 February 2018, and former Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal both serve as the chairmen of the party.

History

Background

On 3 October 2017, the two major communist parties, the Communist Party of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal along with the Naya Shakti Party announced a coalition for the upcoming legislative and provincial election. The three parties also announced plans for unification following the election with the formation of a Unification Coordination Committee. On 14 October 2017, Naya Shakti Party broke from the alliance citing differences with the two parties. The alliance between the two parties won a majority in the House of Representatives and in six of the seven provincial assemblies. Following the elections, it was decided that CPN would get chief ministers in Province No. 1, Bagmati Pradesh, Gandaki Pradesh and Province No. 5, and CPN would get chief ministers in Karnali Pradesh and Sudurpashchim Pradesh. The party also won a two third majority in the National Assembly. Following the formation of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, parliamentary party leader of the Communist Party of Nepal, Khadga Prasad Oli was sworn in as Prime Minister on 15 February 2018. The merger of the two parties was initially announced for 22 April 2018, to coincide with the formation of the original Communist Party of Nepal in 1949, but the unification was put on hold citing insufficient time to sort out remaining issues.

Unification

The CPN and CPN dissolved their central committees on 17 May 2018 and the new party was formed on the same day. Khadga Prasad Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal would serve as joint chairmen of the party until a general convention was held. The party changed its name to Nepal Communist Party after the Election Commission of Nepal refused to register the new party as another party called Communist Party of Nepal was already registered the commission.

Ideology

As part of the merger agreement, the party's ideology will consist of Marxism–Leninism and support for a multi-party system in Nepal, while the party itself will remain secular and governed by democratic centralism.

Organization and structure

Central organization

Secretariat

A nine-member Secretariat of the party has been created. It includes:
A 135 member politburo will be formed after the formation of the standing committee and central committee.

Standing Committee

The 45-member Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau includes 26 members from CPN and 19 from CPN.

Central Committee

The central committee has a total of 441 members, including 241 from Communist Party of Nepal, and 200 from Communist Party of Nepal.

Lower-level organizations

Presence in various provinces