KATHMANDU: Ganganarayan Shrestha, leader of the Nepal Socialist Party (NSP), has officially rejoined the CPN (Maoist Centre) nearly a decade after leaving the party.

The reunification was formalized Monday at Kantipur Banquet in Lalitpur, where Shrestha and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ signed the agreement.

Shrestha left the Maoists in September 2015 with Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and was previously a Politburo member. Upon his return, he was appointed Secretary.

Maoist General Secretary Dev Gurung announced the integration of Shrestha’s NSP faction into the Maoist Centre under a five-point agreement based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and a unique socialist revolutionary program.

The agreement commits to using all forms of political struggle as needed and follows democratic centralism, balancing free thought with unity.

Shrestha and nearly 17 central executive members, along with about 100 other party members, have rejoined the Maoists, marking a major consolidation after years of division.

Shrestha’s decision came after co-leader Mahindra Ray Yadav withdrew from an earlier unity pact, prompting Shrestha to move forward independently with the merger.