NSP merger likely today

Kathmandu, June 7:

The Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi) led by Anandi Devi and Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) led by Laxman Lal Karna are likely to announce the parties’ merger tomorrow, an NSP (A) leader today said.

“Since everything has been sorted out and agreed in principle, formal announcement through a press conference is likely tomorrow,” NSP (A) leader Anil Kumar Jha told this daily today. The parties had formally agreed for merger on May 7.

The decision to announce the merger comes following a series of meetings between the two parties.

While they have agreed to keep Anandi Devi as the president of the unified party, Laxman Lal Karna will be given the post of executive president. Vice president of the NSP (A) Bharat Bimal Yadav will hold the post of senior vice-president.

They have also agreed to maintain the name, the tricolour flag and the election symbol used by the NSP as the official ones.

The party had split in early 2003 following a row between the leaders after the then NSP president Badri Prasad Mandal joined the Lokendra Bahadur Chand-led government as deputy prime minister in the cabinet formed by King Gyanendra after sacking prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.