KATHMANDU: The newly formed CPN (Unified Socialist) has emerged stronger than CPN-UML in Province 2 and Sudur Paschim Province.
CPN (Unified Socialist), a party formed by a splinter faction of the main opposition CPN-UML, is led by Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Of the 21 lawmakers of CPN-UML in the provincial assembly of Province 2, 12 have already joined CPN (Unified Socialist). One more UML lawmaker in the province is soon to join the party, according to CPN (US) leaders.
Before the split, CPN-UML was the second-largest party in Province 2, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) being first with 55 lawmakers. But, now, UML has been ranked as the fifth party in the province. JSP, which also suffered the split, now has 39 lawmakers followed by the Nepali Congress, the ruling party, with 19 lawmakers, Democratic Socialist Party with 16 and CPN (Unified Socialist) with 12 lawmakers.
Similarly, in Sudurpaschim Province, 13 lawmakers of CPN-UML have joined CPN (Unified Socialist) after the split which forced the party to slip to the third position in the province. It used to be the largest party before the split. Now the CPN-UML has 12 lawmakers, CPN (Maoist Center)14, NC 12 and JSP two.