KATHMANDU — Former CPN-UML leaders Bhim Rawal and Prakash Shah are set to formally enter the newly unified Nepali Communist Party (NCP) on Wednesday, marking another significant shift in Nepal’s leftist political landscape.
According to party sources, the merger event will take place at 1:30 p.m. in Kathmandu, where Rawal, Shah, and several members of the Matri Bhumi Jagaran Abhiyan will officially join the NCP.
Top Leaders to Welcome New Entrants
Party convener Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and co-convener Madhav Kumar Nepal will welcome Rawal and Shah at the event. The integration is expected to strengthen the unified left front following years of internal divisions within Nepal’s communist movement.
Rawal’s Matri Bhumi Jagaran Abhiyan will be merged into the party’s structure, with Rawal ranked sixth in seniority and serving as a member of the party secretariat.
From Expulsion to Reintegration
Rawal was expelled from the CPN-UML on December 25 last year after publicly criticizing the party’s leadership under KP Sharma Oli. Following his removal, he launched the Matri Bhumi Jagaran Abhiyan, uniting his supporters under a reform-driven platform.
During the UML’s 10th General Convention, Rawal had contested against Oli for the party’s top position. His return to a unified communist front with Dahal and Nepal is seen as an effort to revive ideological cooperation among former comrades.
