What Prachanda gains from merger

By merging his party with the UML Prachanda has, in a way, put a full stop in his own political career as a supreme leader of the party. From this point he will not have the last words, as he is used to, in the party’s affair but has to acquiesce to the collective decisions of more influential leaders including three current and former prime ministers KP Sharma Oli, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal. Another leader Bam Dev Gautam too is no less powerful. In the party these leaders lead factions. Although Prachanda too is entering with his own set of loyalists, their number will be reduced sharply. As per the understanding, the highest decision-making body of the new party will have less than 100 Central Committee members and proportionally Prachanda will not be able to merge his party with more than 15 to 20 members. This is a catch 22 situation for him because even if he becomes the president of the new party today with the promise of being made the prime minister after 3 years, the CC might rule out this understanding and let Oli continue to head the government for full term.

It is interesting to see how Prachada is planning to deal with the new situation. Can he cultivate his influence in the new party or will he be cornered to the point of no return? This question has no certain answer yet but look whatever way, currently the odds are against him and it looks that by accepting the merger Prachanda has in fact signed off on the end of his own political career.