The Unified People’s Committee unveiled on Thursday shares striking similarities with the party’s “war-era administration in structure and purpose”.

CPN-Maoist leaders said the committee formed under Secretary Dev Gurung hopes to act as a “parallel government” at the local level by forming “effective” committees in each village.

Leaders said the committee was formed as per the mandate of the party’s recent central committee meeting. “The committee was formed with an objective of reviving the war-era structures,” said a politburo member.

A party statement on Thursday said the committee will be extended to states, districts and VDCs. “The committee will address issues related to development and public service at the local level.”

CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya has said the 133-member committee will carry out a struggle for constitution writing, nationalism and livelihood. The party has forwarded a 40-point demand to the government, warning it to address them or face consequences.

In 2001, the then CPN-Maoist formed a similar structure called the Revolutionary People’s Council under Baburam Bhattarai. The party presented a 40-point charter of demands to then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba before waging a war against the state.