Kathmandu, August 11:

Leaders of the Nepali Congress and Nepali Congress (Democratic) today said the unification between the two parties should be based on the principle of democratic socialism and practice of internal democracy.

Addressing an interaction held by the New Media Club, NC general secretary Ramchandra Poudel said the split of the NC had not given birth to an alternative democratic force. Stating that the NC (D) also could not prove its relevance, he, however, said he was against the unification of the two parties if power was the motive behind the unification.

The unification should be aimed at transforming the Nepali society based on the principle of social justice, he said, adding: “An anti-democratic wave would follow if the two parties did not unite for the cause of democratic socialism and social justice.”

“NC CWC meet has passed a resolution in favour of the unification, but NC (D) president Sher Bahadur Deuba has called for more time to work out the process.” NC-D central leader Dr Manmohan Bhattarai, however, said the unification between the two parties was not possible unless genesis of the split was thoroughly analysed.

Stating that the party was split due to personal interest and lust for power, he said all the agreements between the seven-party alliance and the Maoists were made for the sake of power.

All the democratic forces should remain united if they are to fight against the Maoists’ totalitarianism, keeping in mind the spirit of over five million people, who took to the street during the Jana Andolan-II, he said.

He also charged PM GP Koirala with pampering the Maoists, leaving aside democratic norms and values. He said the Nepali Army would not pose that much threat to democracy as the Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army does.

Dip Kumar Upadhyaya, another central leader of the NC-D, said: “Genesis of the NC’s split goes back to the expulsion of Ganeshman Singh and KP Bhattarai from the party leadership.”

Stressing the need for unification between NC and NC (D), Political analyst Nilambar Acharya called for better understanding with the UML for fighting extreme left ideology and rightist elements.