A meeting of Party Unity Coordination Committee of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre), formed to discuss the merger of two parties, has decided to form a six-member  taskforce for National Assembly election and formation of provincial government.

The taskforce will comprise three members each from UML and Maoist Centre. According to UML Chairman KP Oli’s secretariat, leaders Subas Nembang, Shankar Pokharel and Surendra Pandey will represent the UML while Maoist Centre leaders Ram Bahadur Thapa, Barshaman Pun and Matrika Yadav will be in the team.

The government has announced the National Assembly date on February 7.

UML Vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam said that no decision has been taken on party unification although discussions were held on it.

UML Chairman Oli and Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had reached an understanding on Sunday to sort ideological and organisational issues and draft the unified party’s statute by forming a taskforce in today’s Party Unity Coordination Committee meeting.

From UML, Oli, senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy-chairman Bam Dev Gautam and General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel were present at the meeting today while from Maoist Centre, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, leaders Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Thapa were present.

This is the first meeting of the committee after elections. Both the parties have an understanding that the party unification must be finalised before forming the new government. The parties had jointly contested in the recent federal and parliament elections by forming a left alliance and had garnered majority.