Kathmandu, November 14:

Unification of the NC and NC-D appears to be drawing nearer, with its leaders throwing up all the indications of its eventual unification as the nation hurtles towards crucial election to constituent assembly. The common strategy is to take on the mammoth Left brigade in constituent assembly elections expected to be conducted by June next year.

Today, former PM and NC-D president Sher Bahadur Deuba indicated that NC and the NC-D could soon be one, largely on the pressure coming from friendly international forces and national compulsion. Deuba, who talked to reporters after inaugurating a party interaction series on issues ranging from relevance of monarchy to electoral strategy, made the indication that unification was going to happen, but at the same time tried to downplay the same citing the need to have a task force work on the issue in a thorough manner.

“The process has to get underway in right earnest much before the CA polls. Homework has to be done,” Deuba quipped when quizzed by reporters on the issue of unification in the capital today, dropping all the indication that issue was a top political agenda in both the parties.

Yesterday, NC leader Sujata Koirala pointed out at the inevitability of the unification of the two parties while speaking outside capital. Sujata went on to say that only thing which is pending is announcing the same. This confirms the hectic moves to effect the unification of the two parties which follow right of centre policies vis-a-vis the institution of monarchy.

The reactions come at a time when the leadership is being claimed to have already drawn up the unification blueprint, with Deuba likely to be taken by in the capacity of co-president of the united outfit, with NC vice president Sushil Koirala likely to retain his post, while Ram Chandra Paudel could be one of the general secretaries.