The meeting of the coordination committee for unification of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) has started at the prime minister's Official residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday. Press coordinator of PM KP Sharma Oli Chetan Adhikari confirmed that the meeting has started at 10 in the morning.
The parties have scheduled unification for April 22 to mark the establishment of the first communist party in Nepal but have yet to agree on some issues including representation at the top level of the unified party. The committee will also discuss the issues of election symbol and inclusion of the term 'People's War' in the party statute among others.
UML Chairman Oli and Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had a long one-on-one meeting on Monday, and the meeting today is expected to decide on the outstanding issues.
The major difference between the two parties currently is on the issue of representation at the top level. Maoist Center says there should be equal representation in the standing, politburo and central committees but UML disagrees.
The task force including leaders from both the parties has almost agreed on a 300-strong central committee. UML central committee currently has 209 members and UML leaders have proposed to add Maoist leaders to take the number to 300.
UML argues there cannot be equal sharing in the central committee after the two parties shared tickets in 60:40 proportion in the recent federal and provincial elections, and candidacy for the National Assembly election in 70:30 proportion.
Maoist Center disagrees and argues that doing so would seem like a takeover by UML instead of unification, and proposes that unification should be done in a manner that self-respect of both the parties is honored to make the unified party strong even in the future.
