UML-ML Reunification
Looking Forward

By Yuba Nath Lamsal

LEFT unity is the talk of the town at present. Different breakaway communist factions are talking broader left unity. The unity debate kicked off as the main opposition CPN-UML formally invited its rival CPN-ML, which broke away from the mother party less than four years ago, and other small leftist groups.

Unity is rare and disintegraton is an usual phenomenon in Nepal’s left movement. Personal cult has always given way to split and re-split in the communist party right from the beginning of communist movement in Nepal. Now there are more than a dozen communist groups in existence in the country.

The process of unity began when the 22nd central committee meeting of CPN-UML decided to take initiative for communist unity right after it wrote to CPN-ML and other small left parties for unity.

In response, CPN-ML also wrote back to UML expressing its willingness to initiate the process for merger.

Politically and ideologically, both of these parties have agreed to merge because there is no ideological difference between them. Janatako Bahudaliya Janabad (People’s Multi-party Democracy) is the ideological and political guiding principle of both the parties. But there are some technicalities to be sorted out prior to the formal decision of merger.

They have formed separate dialogue committees, which have already initiated the first round of talks to expedite the process of merger. These two parties have moved so close that the unity between them is expected to be finalized within a couple of weeks.

CPN-UML is already a mainstream of the liberal and parliamentary communist group in Nepal. It is the second largest political force in the parliament. It was the largest party in the parliament following the second general election with 88 seats in the 205-member House of Representatives, Lower House of parliament. However, its position was reduced to the second largest party as 40 of its lawmakers broke away to form the new party called CPN-ML.

CPN-ML was created not on ideological basis but due to personal rivalry and differences in the foreign policy front especially policy towards United States and India. The Mahakali Treaty with India played catalytic role to split CPN-UML three and half years ago. The CPN-UML had laid the groundwork for the Mahakali Treaty during its nine-month rule as a minority goverment. It was given final shape later during the coalition government of Nepali Congress, RPP and Nepal Sadbhavana Party.

Like Nepali Congress and RPP, CPN-UML also had the obligation to ratify the treaty in the parliament. During the voting on Mahakali Treaty in parliament, some of CPN-UML lawmakers were divided. Majority of the lawmakers voted in favour of the treaty, some abstained and some even voted against the treaty. As the debate on who is right and who is wrong on the Mahakali Treaty was going on, the sixth National Congress of CPN-UML was held in Nepalgunj.

By that time, the party had already been divided mentally and emotionally. Some of its leaders were not even in talking terms during that period. Thus, the split was inevitable. Two clear rival camps had been clearly visible—one headed by general secretary Madhav Nepal and the other by Bamdev Gautam. General secretary’s group was in majority and, thus, emerged winner in the sixth national congress. The majority faction offered some seats to Gautam’s minority faction in the central committee of the party during the national congress and even in the days that followed. But the minority faction chose to create a new party. This is how, the CPN-UML split and CPN-ML was created.

Soon after the split, both the parties vigourously went to the grassroots level for expansion and consolidation of their organizational base. CPN-ML, which was created with fanfare, was not accepted by the cadres and supporters at the grassroots level. Instead, it was criticized as the group that weakened the communist movement by splitting the party. The split was, indeed, a blow to CPN-UML. However, it managed to win the psychological warfare and proved that it was the mainstream of the communist movement in Nepal.

In the third general election was announced within one year of the CPN-UML split. It went to the elections quite before it had fully recovered from the pain of split.

However, the CPN-UML managed to win 70 seats in the popular chamber of the parliament again emerging as second largest political force in the House. CPN-ML failed to win even a single seat. However, it secured votes in the election sufficient enough to become the national party. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, a party is required to secure at least three per cent of the total votes cast to be recognised as a national party. If any party does not secure three per cent votes in the election, their lawmakers are recognised as independent candidates.

But one thing was clear that if the CPN-UML had not split, it would, definitely, have won some more seats, making it difficult for the Nepali Congress to
win a majority. The election results
showed that the combined votes of the CPN-UML and the CPN-ML were higher than the Nepali Congress in almost two dozens constituencies. However, Nepali Congress won because leftist votes were divided.

Now they have realized the message as well as strength of unity. If united, their position would be definitely strengthened. The message of unity may change the country’s political equation and scenario in the next general elections.

In a multi-party democracy, political parties are the assets of the nation. If the parties are strong and consolidated, democracy would also be strong and mature. Political parties, thus, need to remain strong and united for the stability of the country and democracy.

CPN-UML was also an active and crucial partner during the pro-democracy movement in 1990 and played a key role in drafting the present democratic constitution and for institutionalizing democracy. It is thus the need of the hour to create unity among all communist parties in Nepal.

The merger between CPN-UML and CPN-ML would create a big ripple in the Nepalese political scenario. It would also encourage other small communist groups to come under one broader communist umbrella. Perhaps, this is the desire of all, who support left ideology. It is only the united movement that would contribute for the liberation of the people from poverty, backwardness, exploitation and discrimination. As long as communists remain divided and indulge in mudslinging among one another, Nepal’s communist movement would never gain any momentum.

Now there are clearly two ideological camps in the Nepalese communist movement. One is parliamentary communist camp and other is revolutionary camp. CPN-UML represents the parliamentary communist camp where as Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is leading the revolutionary communist front. At present, it may be possible to create unity of those leftists who believe in the parliamentary system. The unity of parliamentary communists would later create ground for a united working front with non-parliamentary communists as well. Thus, learning from history and past mistakes, the boarder left unity is highly needed for the interest of the country and the people.

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