Left parties weigh unity amid investigations, policy clashes and shifting political ground

Leaders of Nepal's CPN-UML and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) are discussing a potential alliance, driven by a desire to counter recent government actions and prepare for upcoming local and provincial elections. This move signals a significant shift in the country's political landscape, as the Rastriya Swatantra Party-led government intensifies investigations into decisions made by previous administrations.

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Discussions are also underway on immediate cooperation within provincial governments.

Sources indicate that CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli and NCP coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal have reached an informal understanding to explore cooperation. This includes coordinating efforts in parliament and potentially forming a united front on the streets. Discussions are also underway regarding immediate cooperation within provincial governments, reflecting a shared concern over the current government's trajectory.

The renewed push for coordination between Oli and Dahal is a direct response to the RSP-led government's actions. The government has initiated money-laundering investigations against former prime ministers and has taken steps like banning political student unions and dissolving civil service unions. These measures, along with proposals to make local bodies and the National Assembly non-partisan and abolish provincial assemblies, are seen by UML and NCP leaders as a direct challenge to the established political order.

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These developments have pushed Oli and Dahal toward considering cooperation as unavoidable.

An alliance between the UML and NCP is not unprecedented. The two parties previously merged to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) after a successful electoral alliance in 2017, which secured a significant majority. However, internal power struggles led to their separation. Their subsequent attempts to form a government together have also faced instability, notably when Dahal aligned with the Nepali Congress after their previous coalition collapsed. The recent election results have once again prompted dialogue between the two leaders, who recently appeared together at an event calling for leftist unity.

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Oli and Dahal appeared together at an event marking the 75th birth anniversary of former UML general secretary Madan Bhandari, issuing a joint call for leftist unity.