Jhalanath Khanal Opposes Party Unity, Accuses Madhav Nepal and Leftist Leaders of Following Right-Wing Forces

Senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist), Jhalanath Khanal, has opposed the proposed merger with the Maoist Centre, asserting that the timing is not right for any party unification. In a written statement sent from New Delhi, India, where he is attending to his wife’s medical treatment, Khanal emphasized that the party should avoid following a misguided path.

“Comrades, this is neither the season nor the right time for party unification. We should not take wrong paths or mislead others,” he wrote in his statement to the party secretariat meeting.

Khanal stressed that a ruthless review of the party’s formation from the UML split is necessary before considering unification.

“First, let us critically evaluate our four-year journey of rebellion. Let us separate what was right from what was wrong. We must pay attention to the youth voices and procedures raised since the Ninth National Congress,” Khanal added.

Allegations Against Party Leadership

Khanal also accused his party chairman, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and other leftist parties of aligning with right-wing forces. He said this alignment has caused the leadership to abandon the responsibility of comprehensive socio-economic transformation and national strengthening, leading the country toward a crisis and making it vulnerable to foreign influence.

“Now, to revive the country, the people, and the leftist movement from a new foundation, reorganization and transformation within each party is mandatory,” Khanal stated.

Call for Reorganization and Transformation

In his New Year message, Khanal had already called for this year to be one of party reorganization and transformation, a call he believes has now been justified by circumstances.

He further emphasized that the demand for reorganization is not limited to one generation but reflects the revolutionary need of all generations:

“This is not merely a generational demand; it is a demand for revolutionary restructuring and transformation for all generations. No one can move forward by rejecting it,” he said.

Khanal urged that, in line with the voices of the party’s youth, the party should be reorganized based on correct ideological and political direction, policies, and principles. His appeal is to transform the party into a radically progressive organization, committed to Nepal’s unique form of socialism, and to unite all revolutionary, leftist, patriotic, and progressive forces under this framework.

From Party Unity to Front-Building for Elections

Khanal called for the creation of a broad national front to prepare for upcoming elections, rather than rushing into party unification:

“Let us build a wide national front and move ahead in preparing for the House of Representatives election with a comprehensive plan. I believe this is the right path today. Let us avoid narrow-minded approaches and unite the entire party, moving toward historic reorganization and transformation.”

On the Youth Movement

Khanal clarified that the current youth uprising is not merely an emotional outburst or a foreign conspiracy, but a direct result of the gross failures of the main leadership of parties, including his own, which have been in government since the dissolution of the two-thirds majority parliament.

“The explosion of the youth movement reflects the severe failure of party leaderships that have been governing and participating in power. It has brought the country to this unfortunate state,” Khanal said.

He added that all party leaders who have been in or associated with government must take responsibility for failing to guide the country in the right direction.

Khanal concluded that in a multi-party system, political parties bear the responsibility of steering the country correctly, emphasizing that leadership must respond to the current situation with pragmatic and revolutionary reforms.