KATHMANDU: The CPN-UML, CPN Maoist Centre and Naya Shakti Party Nepal have formed an electoral alliance to contest the upcoming provincial and parliamentary elections and merge after polls, the parties announced in a press conference organised in Kathmandu today.

Reading the agreement, CPN MC leader and Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma said that after allocating the share of candidacy, it would be divided on 60:40 basis.

Reading a six-point agreement, Sharma said that the three parties would merge and form a sole communist force after the elections. "An eight-member unification coordination committee would be formed immediately to facilitate preparations for the merger with four members from UML, three from CPN MC and one from NSP, which the party said would be held as soon as possible after the polls."

Speakig at the event, Naya Shakti Party Coordinator Baburam Bhattarai said that the unification was a much needed one. "This is a stepping stone for gathering two-third majority in the Parliament for initiating the presidential system in the country."

"This is a historic moment that will lead the country to a new era of development," he added.

Likewise, Recalling the peace process, CPN Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal said, "This merger is not against anyone. It has been for the country and its people. We have no hard feelings against anyone."

"We had prepared some documents to form a single communist force earlier but things did not go as planned. But today, we thank everyone for this historical achievement and hope for a new revolution." said Dahal adding, "This alliance was the need of the hour else Nepali prefer leftist government for the prosperity and development of the nation and it is our responsibility to shoulder people's aspirations and take country towards socialism."

He further recalled a decade-long Maoist insurgency and thanked those who lost their lives for their contribution during the conflict era.

Likewise, CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli said, "We have decided to forge alliance to head the country towards development. The alliance is need of the hour. To head the economic, social and other aspects towards development, we have decided to go jointly. If other parties also want to join us, we will welcome them with open heart."

"Keeping the social harmony as base, we want to move ahead providing equal rights, equal opportunities, equal justice, equal security and equal respect to people living in all regions. We will end the discriminatory behavior prevailing in the society and develop the feeling of social harmony among all," added Oli.

"With this, we will prevail peace in the society, end the internal political conflict and head towards prosperity of the nation. This is exactly what the Nepalis want."

Top leaders of three parties including Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Narayan Kaji Shretsha among others attended the event.

What’s in the deal

• Eight-member unification coordination committee will draft merger strategy
• A separate committee will draft manifesto and statute of the new unified party
• Merger after parliamentary and provincial elections
• UML and CPN-MC to share 60:40 seats in the upcoming elections
• To devise a common election manifesto for elections

A hectic day for the three parties

9:00am:  Meeting between leaders of CPN-UML and CPN-MC at a private residence in  Manbhawan, Lalitpur, to finalise the agreement paper drafted jointly by  leaders of both parties a day ago

10:00am: Coordinator of Naya  Shakti Party-Nepal Baburam Bhattarai joins the meeting, which focused  on ways to include NSP-N in the left alliance

12:00 noon: Meeting focuses on finalising draft after inclusion of NSP-N

2 :00pm: Meeting concludes

4:00pm: Bamdev Gautam briefs party Chair KP Sharma Oli at UML’s Parliamentary Party Office in Singha Durbar

5:00pm: The top leaders of the three parties appear in a press conference  at  City Hall, Exhibition Road, and sign agreement paper