Biratnagar, September 20:

A central member of the Nepali Congress (NC), Dr Shekhar Koirala, today said that an agreement has been reached on the hierarchy of senior leaders that will be in place after the unification of the NC and the NC-D.

Speaking to this daily here, Koirala, also a member of the task force formed to effect the unification of the two parties, said the unification process will be complete in a few days after overcoming minor differences of opinion.

All processes, save the formation of a parliamentary board and some departments, have been completed, he said.

“NC president Girija Prasad Koirala will be on top, followed by founding member Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, NC-D president Sher Bahadur Deuba and Sushil Koirala in the unified party,” Dr Koirala said, adding that, as per the agreement, Sushil Koirala will be acting vice-president of the unified party.

Asked about the delay in unification, he said: “The unification will materialise once Sher Bahadur Deuba and Sushil Koirala exhibit their will power. None of them has exhibited the will power.”

“There will be no future for the party if it does not go for collective leadership,” he said.

Expressing disagreement over Deuba’s objection to the proposed Mahasamiti meeting of the NC, Koirala said: “The meeting was called after holding a discussion in the taskforce.”

He termed the Maoists’ withdrawal from the government a “normal act” in the peace process. He said he was assured that the withdrawal “will not hinder the peace process.”

Saying that the withdrawal had shocked him, Koirala said: “The agreement reached at a meeting of the eight parties to strengthen their unity has made us hopeful.”