UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is holding regular talks with his CPN-Maoist counterpart Mohan Baidya these days to discuss merger between the two parties.

To finalise the merger, UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha and General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara are also making effort from their side. The two leaders have been in regular talks with CPN-Maoist senior leaders Ram Bahadur Thapa and CP Gajurel, among others, in recent times, said UCPN (Maoist) Spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma.

 “Top leaders from both parties are holding regular talks to finalise the terms of party unification,” Sharma said. He added that there are few ideological differences between two parties which could be settled through negotiation.

Party unification will be a prominent agenda of Central Committee meeting of UCPN (Maoist) which will begin next week.

“We will also hold discussions about unification with other fringe parties,” Sharma said.

Baidya, a long-time colleague of Dahal, had formed CPN-Maoist after splitting from UCPN (Maoist) in 2012. The relationship between the two leaders  had soured because of their opposing views regarding constitution drafting and peace process.