KATHMANDU, Feb 6: Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have announced their unification amidst a special function held in the capital, Saturday. The new party will be known as Rastriya Shakti Prajatantra Party.
The two fringe parties in the Constituent Assembly (CA) have argued that their unification was guided by the need to safeguard ´national dignity´ and maintain ´political balance´ and ´stability´ in the country. The two parties with Panchayat backgrounds have maintained that nationality can be safeguarded only through broader unity between nationalist and democratic forces.
In their 11-point reason given for the unification, the two parties said dilly-dallying in the constitution-drafting process, growing interference in the independent judiciary and rule of law, the worsening economic crisis in the country and threats posed to an independent press had also necessitated their unification.
While the RPP has a total of eight members in the 601-member CA, RJP has three members. The new party becomes the eighth largest party in the CA.
Addressing a press conference organized in the capital, RJP Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa and RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana said the two parties decided to unite as they held similar ideology, principles and objectives.
RJP Chairman Thapa said they agreed to unite as splits in political parties had led the country´s politics astray. "Our unity is not directed against anyone but is meant for strengthening the republic," he further said.
The RJP splintered from the mother party RPP on March 13, 2005 when Thapa himself was prime minister. Later, a new party called Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal led by Kamal Thapa was born of a splinter from the RJP.
The two leaders said negotiations are on to forge unity with RPP-Nepal also.
The party leaders have agreed to form a Parties Unity Committee under Bishwa Bandhu Thapa to facilitate merger of the two parties at village level. The unification of the two parties will be effected through joint conventions at village level and then at regional, district and central levels.
The two parties have also announced they will form a Joint Work Performance Committee at the central level to facilitate the day to day business of the party including in the CA until a joint national convention is held. The committee will comprise all top leaders of both parties.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Copyright © Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd. 2008-10.