Weakened by electoral defeat and further split, two Maoist parties have initiated unification efforts.
The UCPN (Maoist) and the CPN-Maoist on Sunday formed a joint committee to prepare an ideological ground for their unification.
The committee has Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Baburam Bhattarai, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi as its members from the UCPN (Maoist). Mohan Baidya, CP Gajurel, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Deb Gurung represent the CPN-Maoist in the committee.
Mohan Baidya and other senior leaders had quit the UCPN (Maoist) to form the CPN-Maoist shortly after the dissolution of the first Constituent Assembly (CA) in May, 2012.
Baidya was dissatisfied with Dahal after the UCPN (Maoist) surrendered weapons to the government. He accused the UCPN (Maoist) of being surrenderist and revisionist while forming a new Maoist party.
While the UCPN (Maoist) took part in the second CA elections, the CPN-Maoist stayed away saying electoral exercise was 'absurd' and the ultimate goal of 'people's republic' could be achieved only through revolution.
But, political dimensions changed after the second CA elections, making it necessary for Dahal and Baidya to join hands once again.
After the second CA elections, the UCPN (Maoist) was reduced to the third largest party while the CPN-Maoist was weakened by another split. Netra Bikaram Chanda 'Biplav', who was general secretary of Baidya's party, formed a new Maoist, which is now considered more revolutionary than the CPN-Maoist.
UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist leaders had intensified unification talks particularly after the Supreme Court (SC) stood against amnesty provision in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) act on 26 February. Responding to a writ petition filed by 234 conflict victims, the SC had ordered the government to revise the TRC act so that perpetrators of grave human rights violations will not get amnesty.
Both UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist have protested the SC's verdict, saying scraping of amnesty provision will push the country back to war.
In a press release, UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist said they will be fighting against 'regressive moves' by the government, including scrapping of amnesty provision.