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By Our Political Analyst

Communist unity in Nepal has become a tired ritual, repeated so often that it no longer carries meaning. Every few years, the same leaders announce a “historic unification. They ink historic declarations. Soon after, they ready themselves for next split. This trend of communist has often drawn criticism for them. Even though many of them term the new unity as political milestone, they are nothing less than a political circus.

The latest announcement by Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and Madhav Kumar Nepal is no different. On Sunday, their parties, the Maoist Centre and the Unified Socialist, along with six other fringe communist parties, came together once again. On paper, this appears like a strong alliance ready to make progress. In reality, it is nothing but a recycled thing- same faces forging unity. We h have seen this kind of unity before, and we know how it will end: with another breakup after heaping blames on each other. The unity and likely breakup are nothing but a betrayal to the people and party cadres.

Earlier, ideological debate defined communist politics. Splits were caused due to differences in ideologies and principles. But since the 1990s, ideology has been replaced by swollen ego of leaders. Unity, mergers and separations are caused by backroom maneuvering, craving for power, money and position both in parties and in government. Obviously, these leaders are not uniting for socialism or justice. They are uniting to stay relevant in the changing political climate such as the present one. They might have thought that new unity may help them face save in the aftermath of Gen Z movement and help them win elections to remain in power.

Meanwhile, Prachanda’s embrace of Marxism-Leninism after abandoning Maoism is a clear example of this opportunism. The leader who once waged a war in the name of class revolution and later faced the charge of massive corruption when he was in power, is now preaching moderation and good governance. Madhav Nepal, another leader known for splitting his mother party, seems to think the public has forgotten his role in past political failures. Both men, along with their peers like KP Sharma Oli and Jhalanath Khanal, keep reinventing themselves, but the people are no longer fooled.

The Gen Z uprising earlier this year exposed just how hollow these so-called leftist leaders have become. Young Nepalis, frustrated by corruption and hypocrisy, are demanding fresh faces and new thinking. They are not impressed by recycled slogans or ideological gymnastics. For them, the old guard represents exactly what they are fighting against—complacency, greed, and the refusal to let go.

If Nepal truly needs a strong leftist force, it must come from new leadership, not from worn-out figures who mistake unity meetings for revolution. The country’s constitution may describe it as socialist-oriented, but socialism cannot survive on empty speeches and recycled manifestos. The communist movement needs energy, credibility, and integrity—all of which have been drained by its aging leaders.

Unless this generation of communist chiefs finally steps aside, the so-called unified party will crumble just like the others before it. Their merger is not a sign of revival but of exhaustion. Communist unity in Nepal, once the promise of change, has now become a meaningless exercise, a survival act for leaders who have long outlived their political relevance.