The formal unification of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) had been stuck for the past seven months because the Maoists wanted a ‘respectable’ place in the new party, which the UML top brass was not ready to grant. As Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal would later clarify, this meant a near 50-50 division of office-bearers between UML and the Maoist Center in all the important decision-making bodies of the to-be-formed party. There were a few other (albeit less important) sticking points: whether to recognize the bloody ‘people’s war’ in the new party statute, and whether the ‘sun’ or the ‘hammer and sickle’ should be the new party symbol.

 

The Maoist party’s demand for more office-bearers was understandable. It would have had a tough time whittling down its 1,099-member central committee. The new party, as per an earlier understanding, would have just 299 central committee members, and many influential Maoist leaders feared being ‘demoted’. Dahal had his own calculations. Before he agreed to a formal merger, he wanted to make sure that he either got to become the prime minister after two and a half years or secured the post of chairman of the new party. And should Oli renege on his promise on these fronts, he wanted to keep open the option of breaking away from the unified party.

 

According to new electoral laws, Dahal would need the support of at least 40 percent central committee members to break away, and UML was not ready to give such a large share to the Maoists. Yet after holding out for so long, KP Oli and UML leadership seem to have decided that the risks associated with a breakdown of the left unity far outweighed the benefits of curbing Dahal’s ambitions.

 

Thus the two parties have formally united. The central committee of the new party has been expanded to 441 members, of which UML will get 221 (54.5 percent) while the Maoists will get 200 (45.5 percent). Likewise, the powerful Standing Committee will have 25 members from UML and 18 members from Maoist Center. Dahal and Oli will jointly chair the party. ‘Sun’ will be the party symbol and ‘people’s war’ will be recognized. All the remaining issues will be settled by the general convention that is to be held within two years.

 

With the formal merger, Oli, his health permitting, has all but guaranteed that he will serve a five-year term as prime minister, which would be the first time this has happened in the history of democratic Nepal. But it is the general conven­tion that will determine the party’s future. It is hard to see Dahal agreeing to play second fiddle to anyone for five long years should he not get to be the party chairman after the general convention.