Socialist Front is the beginning of unity among leftist forces: PM Dahal

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has echoed the need of unity among all leftist forces for the ’cause’ of all Nepali and workers.

In his address to a programme organised on the occasion of the 34th memorial day of the founder of Communist Party, the late Narayan Bilas Joshi, here today, the CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair insisted on the need of unity among political parties subscribing to leftist ideologies by reviewing the past ‘mistakes’.

At the programme organised by the Narayan Bilas Memorial Foundation, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Foundation’s newly constructed building and unveiled the life-size statue of Joshi.

“The mass was thrilled by the unity between the CPN (UML) and the Maoist Centre to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Such integration sent a ripple among the regressive forces, but unfortunately we failed to keep the unity intact and I hold no one responsible for the division. The need is that we should thoroughly assess our shortcomings and promote the leftist unity through self-corrections,” he said.

He shared that at that time he had suggested UML Chair KP Sharma Oli to prioritise unity among the leftist forces to take the nation towards an economic prosperity and towards socialism. “Following the integration between the two parties, we secured around a two-third majority in the election, but failed to retain it.”

Terming the recent formation of the Socialist Front as the beginning of the leftist unification, leader Dahal said the CPN (Unified Socialist) Chair Madhav Nepal had agreed to revive the unity among the lefts.

“I, Madhav Nepal, Biplav and Upendra Yadav have taken initiations for promoting the leftist unity by forming the Socialist Front,” he said.

On the occasion, Nepal opined that although the task of political struggle has been concluded, the responsibility of bringing meaningful change in the living standard of the people by establishing socialism remained to be fulfilled.

“Only the Communist Party can fulfill the responsibility of bringing transformative change in the life of the people by establishing socialism. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has been leading that task at present,” he said.

CPN (UML) Disciplinary Commission chair Amrit Kumar Bohara said the Communist Movement is weaker in the country despite the large public support for it. “The time has now come for the Communists to come together at one place and move forward and not to be divided,” he emphasized.

Mayor of Mdhyapur Thimi Municipality, Surendra Shrestha, said the municipality has invested a big chunk of the budget in education and health sectors, expressing the municipality’s readiness to operate a health clinic and Ayurvedic Hospital in one of the Foundation’s building.

Foundation treasurer Sushila Subedi said the local government, provincial government and various bodies provided financial support to the Foundation for constructing its building and a statue of the late Narayan Bilas Joshi.

Foundation chairperson and Bagmati provincial government minister Dr Rajendra Man Shrestha said that the Foundation constructed its own building and also installed the late Joshi’s statue to always keep alive the contribution of one of the five founders of the Communist Party in Nepal.

He said Nepal’s communists should always remember the late Joshi’s contribution and the communist leadership should be effortful to uniting all the communist forces in the country.

Foundation secretary Mahendra Gopal Karmacharya shared on the occasion that the Province Infrastructure Development Partnership Programme (Parliamentarian Fund) provided Rs 9 million 564 thousand and 778, Changunarayan Municipality Rs 2 million 410 thousand and 665, Suryabinayak Municipality Rs 2 million 269 thousand and 194.

Similarly, the Public Construction Implementation Office Gajuri, Dhading provided Rs 3 million 96 thousand and 400, the Urban Development and Building Construction Office Kuleshwar, Kathmandu Rs 988 thousand and 198 and the Foundation contributed Rs 1 million 100 thousand and Rs 4.5 million of loans. The building was constructed at a total investment of Rs 24 million 429 thousand and 235. RSS