CPN-UML Secretary Pradeep Gyawali, who is considered close to party Chairman KP Sharma Oli, has said that the merger between the UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) will be completed by mid-March.

“The unification process is going on. The parties will be merged as per the plan of two leaders [Oli and Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal] by overcoming all kinds of obstacles,” Gyawali told reporters in Pokhara on Saturday. He also criticised the Election Commission for the delay in declaring the Proportional Representation results of the House of Representatives.

Maoist Centre leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha also said that the two chairmen were working for party unification. The party unification coordination committee would make public some important decisions soon, he added.