KATHMANDU: Differences in perspective on affiliation have been resulted in the delay of merger between the intellectual wings affiliated to former CPN-Maoist and CPN Ekata Kendra-Masal.

The unification of both the parties has already become Unified CPN-Maoist but the intellectual wings are yet to come under a single umbrella after the Maoists have been sticking to direct control on the intellectual wing, which has been opposed by the Masal-affiliate leaders and its intellectual wing -- Organisation of Progressive Intellectuals of Nepal (OPIN).

“Intellectual organisations are not like other sister organisations. We were always an autonomous organisation providing healthy criticism for the betterment of the party and revolution,” said Padma Khadka, the proposed chairman of the unified body in the offing.

He claimed that the

leadership of the UCPN-Maoist was positive for the unification but the lower level cadres were objecting to the same.

When approached, the chief of the Maoists’ intellectual wing Khim Lal Devkota, however, refused to comment on this. Also the OPIN chairman Mahesh Maskey said he had nothing to say on the issue. He, however, said both the parties should have a common minimum understanding in order to merge both the bodies.

Khadka claimed that they wanted to make the intellectual organisation as an admonitory body but the party was adamant.

“The party leaders want the leadership to be whole timers as in other sister organisations,” said another OPIN member. He further said the former CPN-Maoist aligned intellectuals boasted of their involvement in the people’s war, which was not true as they were not actual “fighters”.

All sister organisations of the former CPN-Maoist and Ekata Kendra Masal have been merged except for this one.

A source also claimed that leaders of the Masal were of different views over the code of conduct of recently issued by the UCPN-M.