Ten Maoist parties including the UCPN (Maoist) announced their merger on Thursday. The new party has been named CPN Maoist Centre.

At a programme organised in Babaharmal, Kathmandu,    UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced the formation of a new party following the merger of 10 parties.  Dahal will chair the new party. 

Speaking at the programme, Dahal said the days of Maoists’ defeat have come to an end. “This is not only the unity among the Maoists but also a new kind of national unity,” said Dahal. “This marks the unity among the oppressed and exploited classes.” 

He noted that the Maoists emerged as a decisive force through the people’s war launched under his leadership and later spilt and he took the initiatives for its unification. He called on Mohan Baidya, Baburam Bhattarai and Netra Bikram Chand to join the unification campaign. 

Dahal said though the Maoists became successful in bringing about the political revolution against authoritarianism, there were still some remnants left. He announced the newly formed party’s decision to prepare ground for socialist revolution through pro-people capitalist revolution.

He said the new party would fight against the tyrannical, high-caste arrogance and colonial tendencies that still exist among the ruling class.     

Another leader active in the unification Campaign, Ram Bahadur Thapa aka ‘Badal’ said a new party has been formed after the merger. 

Matrika Yadav-led CPN Maoist, Mohan Baidya led CPN-Maoist and some leaders from Baburam Bhattarai led Naya Shakti Nepal attended the programme. 

Narayan Kaji Shrestha will be the vice chairman, Ram Bahadur Thapa will be the general secretary, and Krishna Bahadur Mahara will be deputy general secretary of the new party.