Kathmandu, August 30 :

While a section of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) is growing restless on the issue of unification with the Nepali Congress (NC), another is saying that merger is possible only if NC President Girija Prasad Koirala agrees to go for a republican order.

The restless faction is the one led by Chirangivi Wagle, Bal Bahadur KC and Purna Bahadur Khadka. While the trio is silent, Dr Narayan Khadka — who has very poor relations with NC (D) President Sher Bahadur Deuba — has accused both Koirala and Deuba of aborting the idea of unification.

While Koirala — who had spoken openly in favour of unification in Biratnagar recently — is silent on the agenda, Dr Minendra Rijal, a close associate of Deuba, has been demanding that the NC first agree to go for a republican order.

“It appears that Koirala, per se, is not averse to the unification as are those in the NC (D) who will be losing when the party merges with the NC,” Dr Khadka told The Himalayan Times today.

He said that while Koirala could be silent on the issue just because the coterie around him is not yet prepared, Deuba is being probably held up by his aides who feel they have no future in the unified party.

Dr Khadka accused Deuba of going by what the CPN-UML leadership “could have told him.” He said since the Left is hoping to benefit from the two parties remaining separate, it is trying to keep Deuba away from the NC.

“They could be telling him ‘you could be the PM after Koirala is gone.’ So why go with the NC now?” Dr Khadka said. According to him, those saying that Koirala should first agree to go for a republic should first tell Deuba to speak in favour of the republic.