Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist)

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) (Nepali: नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (एकीकृत-समाजवादी), romanized: Nēpāla kamyuniṣṭa pārṭī (Ēkīkr̥ta-Samājavādī)), abbreviated as CPN (Unified Socialist) is a political party in Nepal led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. As of July 2023, the party leads Socialist Front and is an important ally in the governing coalition.[8]

Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist)
नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (एकीकृत समाजवादी)
AbbreviationCPN (US) or CPN (Socialist)
ChairmanMadhav Kumar Nepal
Senior Vice chairmanRajendra Prasad Pandey
General secretaryGhanashyam Bhusal[1]
FounderMadhav Kumar Nepal,
Jhala Nath Khanal,
Pradeep Nepal and others
Founded18 August 2021
Registered25 August 2021
Split fromCPN (UML)
HeadquartersMin Bhawan, Aaloknagar, Kathmandu
NewspaperKalam News[2]
Student wingAll Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU)[3]
Youth wingYouth Federation Nepal[3]
Women's wingAll Nepal Women's Association (Socialist)[3]
Labour wingIntegrated Centre of Trade Unions, Nepal
Peasant's wingAll Nepal Peasants Association
Membership (2021)146,715[4]
IdeologyCommunism
Marxism–Leninism
People's Multiparty Democracy
[5][6]
Political positionLeft-wing
International affiliationInternational Peoples' Assembly
AllianceSamajbadi Morcha[7]
House of Representatives
10 / 275
National Assembly
8 / 59
Provincial Assemblies
25 / 550
Chief Ministers
1 / 7
Mayors/Chairs
25 / 753
Councillors
986 / 35,011
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
www.cpnus.org.np

Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is the chairman of the party and former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal serves as the senior leader.[9][10][11] The party was officially registered at the Election Commission, Nepal on 18 August 2021 while it received its certificate of registration on 25 August when the Election Commission verified its application with signature of more than twenty percent in both central committee and federal parliamentary party.[12][13][14][15]

Ideology

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The party's ideology consists of Marxism–Leninism and support for a multi-party system. The party also favors socialist-oriented economy.[16]

History

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Formation

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Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, founder of the CPN (Unified Socialist)

The President of Nepal, on the recommendation of the council of ministers issued second amendment on political parties related act on 18 August 2021 relaxing the requirements to split parties with 20 percent or more members of the Parliamentary Party and the Central Committee of the political party.[17][18]

This same amendment opened the way to formalize the splits caused due to the dispute between two factions of Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal and CPN(UML) respectively. The CPN(UML) faction led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal which had a long dispute with CPN(UML) chairman KP Sharma Oli had applied to register their party by the name ''CPN (Unified Socialist)'' with the Election Commission.[19] However, the Election Commission requested him not to register under a preregistered name by including some adjectives.[20]

 
Former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, senior leader of the CPN (Unified Socialist)

At the time of the launch of the party, leaders claimed to have 31 members in the two national houses of parliament including 23 from House of Representatives and 8 from National Assembly.[21] A Central Committee with 95 members was announced as well.[21][22] However, many politicians of the mother party CPN(UML) had not finalised their decision yet including party less leader Bam Dev Gautam.[23] Madhav Kumar Nepal was announced to act as the coordinator of the party.[24]

The decision of Nepal to form a new party was however met with some criticism from within his own faction. The second generation leaders close to him boycotted the decision except party secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Ram Kumari Jhakri. Leaders including Ghanashyam Bhusal and Yogesh Bhattarai sided with KP Sharma Oli for party unity. This faction included leaders like Yubaraj Gyawali, Asta Laxmi Shakya, Bhim Rawal, Ghanashyam Bhusal, Gokarna Bista, Bhim Acharya, Yogesh Bhattarai and standing committee members including Surendra Pandey, Raghuji Panta and Amrit Bohora.[25] They even attended the standing committee meeting of 8th Bhadra which called upon Nepal faction for party unity for a final time and instructed CPN (UML) to fulfill their 10 points demand. Howeven the 10 point demand was never followed.[26][27] Later Bhim Rawal and Ghanashyam Bhusal were ditched and side lined from the party after 10th general convention of former party for not following party supremo Oli.

On the same day (8th Bhadra), Nepal arranged a meeting where he presented the party's doctrine and announced that People's Multiparty Democracy would be their guiding philosophy.[28][29]

Party Authentication

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Party office of CPN (Unified Socialist)

Following the registration, the Election Commission had summoned CPN (Unified Socialist) on 9th Bhadra for authentication. As per the new provision the party had to present signatures 20% of either the central committee or the parliamentary party to authenticate the registration.[30] The party was able to meet the threshold with 55 out of 205 members of the central committee and 9 out of 33 of the National Assembly and 24 out of 121 of House of Representatives.[31]

Among these members, Pradeep Nepal, a central committee member who was earlier close to Oli, was present during signature session.[32] The signature of Jhalanath Khanal who signed it from Delhi was counted although the Election Commission had rejected his previous request to accept such signatures as he had been in Delhi for his kidney transplant.[33][34] However, the Election Commission rejected to accept the signatures of Som Prasad Pandey, Maya Gyawali, Tulsa Thapa and Sharada Devi Bhatta as they had not signed the earlier application for party registration.[35] Letter a petition was filed at Supreme Court which allowed them to join the new party.

Organization development and first local election

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The party election just eight months after the party formation. Even though the period of organization development was short, party caders got elected unopposed as chairperson of Kaike and Chharka Tangsong rural municipalities of Dolpa district which remained the highest won unopposed by any party.[36] While the party went to election without alliance in Madhesh Province, the party won six local levels out of which four were from Rautahat, the home district of party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal. The party gave close contest to Nepali Congress. Here, the party won five municipalities and one rural municipality. The party won mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan city and Hetauda Sub-metropolitan city destroying red fort of CPN (UML).[37][38][clarification needed] Although the party obtained support of alliance in numerous places, it was able to bag only twenty local levels signing that the party organization had still not developed as expected.[39]

As a whole, the party won 20 heads, 24 deputy heads, 190 ward chairs and 753 ward members with a total of 986 seats throughout the country. The party went most successful in Madhesh Province where it bagged 6 heads, 5 deputy heads, 80 ward chairs and 310 ward members with a total of 401 seats and that too without any pre electoral alliance contributing to 40% of total national wins.[40]

Party merger and integration

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A number of parties have merged with CPN (Unified Socialist) since its formation:

Year Party Leader
2021[41] CPN (Janavadi) Devendra Singh Mahato
2021[42] CPN (Unified) Alok Rayamajhi
2021[42] CPN (Gaurabshali) Bhabishwar Parajuli
2021[43] Unified Socialist Front Sewantraj Bhandari
2022[44] Independent Communist Group Ghanashyam Bhusal

Organization and structure

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Central organization

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Secretariat

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A twelve-member secretariat (also known as High Command) of the party was created. It included:

Standing Committee

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The 34 member Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau has been formed.[47]

Politburo

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An 86-member politburo has been formed after the formation of the standing committee and central committee.[47]

Central Committee

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The central committee had a total of 355 members.[47]

Leadership

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The party has one chairperson, seven deputy chairpersons, one General secretary, four Deputy general secretary and six Secretary. Altogether there are 18 party portfolio holders. Jhalanath Khanal is senior leader and Pradeep Nepal is the leader of the party and are kept at position two and three respectively.[48][49][50]

Chairperson

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Senior Deputy chairperson

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Deputy chairperson

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General Secretary

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Deputy General Secretary

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Secretary

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Provincial committees

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Province[51][50] Incharge Deputy Incharge Chairman Deputy Chairman Secretary Deputy secretary
Province No. 1 Dhanendra Basnet Rajendra Kumar Rai Baldev Chaudhary Mahesh Regmi Sarita Thapa
Madhesh Dharma Nath Prasad Sah Ram Chandra Yadav
  • Laxman Paudel
  • Ram Chandra Sah Teli
Sudhir Sah Narayan Acharya
Bagmati Kedar Neupane Sabitra Bhusal Laxman Lamsal
Gandaki Keshav Lal Shrestha
  • Tul Bahadur Gurung
  • Sharda Subedi
Ramji Sharma
  • Shree Nath Baral
  • Prem Narayan Paudel
Pratap Lal Shrestha Rekha Thapa Bashyal
Lumbini Bhagwat Biswasi Nirmala Subedi Som Prasad Pandey Pitambar Bhusal Raju Gurung
  • Brihaspati Adhikari
  • Sarada Swarnakar
  • Hari Prasad Gharti
Karnali Prakash Jwala
  • Chandra Bahadur Shahi
  • Sher Bahadur KC
  • Hansa Bahadur Shahi
Amar Bahadur Thapa
  • Devi Lal Thapa
  • Nanda Sharma Chapai
Thagendra Prasad Puri
Sudurpaschim Garima Shah Harka Bahadur Singh Sher Bahadur Kunwor Dinesh Chandra Subedi
Kathmandu Valley (Special) Bishwa Nath Pyakurel Pramod Sharma Kedar Sanjel Bishnu Lamsal

Chief ministers

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Koshi Province

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No. Chief Minister Portrait Terms in Office Legislature Cabinet Constituency
Start End Tenure
1 Rajendra Kumar Rai
 
2 November 2021 9 January 2023 1 year, 68 days 1st Assembly R. K. Rai, 2021 Bhojpur 1(B)

Bagmati Province

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No. Chief Minister Portrait Terms in Office Legislature Cabinet Constituency
Start End Tenure
1 Rajendra Kumar Rai
 
27 October 2021 23 December 2022 1 year, 51 days 1st Assembly Pandey, 2021 Dhading 1(A)

Sudurpashchim Province

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No. Chief Minister Portrait Terms in Office Legislature Cabinet Constituency
Start End Tenure
1 Dirgha Bahadur Sodari 18 April 2024 Incumbent 198 days 2nd Assembly Sodari, 2024 Kailali 4(B)

Electoral performance

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General election

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Election Leader Party list votes Seats Position Resulting government
No. %
2022 Madhav Kumar Nepal 298,391 2.83[a]
10 / 275
7th Coalition Government
  1. ^ Represented as Independent for not reaching the 3% threshold

Provincial election

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Province Election Party list votes Seats Position Resulting government
Votes Percentage
Province No. 1 2022 55,957 2.95
4 / 93
5th In opposition
Madhesh 113,915 5.46
7 / 107
7th Confidence & supply
Bagmati 68,101 3.52
7 / 110
4th In opposition
Gandaki 15,076 1.53
1 / 60
6th In opposition
Lumbini 42,621 2.26
1 / 87
9th In opposition
Karnali 35,826 6.20
1 / 40
4th In opposition
Sudurpaschim 43,819 4.89
5 / 53
5th In opposition

List of Members of Parliament

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List of Rastriya Sabha members from CPN (Unified Socialist)

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No. Name Province Appointment date Retirement date
1. Jayanti Rai Province No. 1 2022 2028
2. Beduram Bhusal Bagmati 2020 2026
3. Goma Devi Timalsina 2022 2029
4. Singha Bahadur Bishwakarma 2018 2024
5. Rajya Laxmi Gaire Lumbini 2022 2028
6. Udaya Bohara Karnali 2022 2028
7. Nanda Sharma 2018 2024
8. Madan Kumari Shah Sudurpashchim 2022 2028

List of Pratinidhi Sabha members from CPN (Unified Socialist)

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No. Name Constituency Portrait Province Elected from
1. Amar Bahadur Thapa Dailekh 1 Karnali 2022 Nepalese general election
2. Bhanu Bhakta Joshi Bajhang 1 Sudurpashchim
3. Dhan Bahadur Buda Dolpa 1 Karnali
4. Krishna Kumar Shrestha Bara 4 Madhesh
5. Madhav Kumar Nepal Rautahat 1 Madhesh
6. Metmani Chaudhary Dang 1 Lumbini
7. Prakash Jwala Salyan 1 Karnali
8. Prem Bahadur Ale Doti 1 Sudurpashchim
9. Rajendra Prasad Pandey Dhading 1 Bagmati
10. Sher Bahadur Kunwor Achham 1 Sudurpashchim

Sister organizations

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Following are the sister organizations of the party:[52]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ Kalam News website
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