KATHMANDU: On Friday, a ceremony at the Rastriya Sabha Griha marked the official merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity National Campaign) led by Bamdev Gautam.

Gautam, who has been working toward this unification for four years, announced that his faction had formally joined the Unified Socialist party, signaling a new chapter in Nepali leftist politics.

Expressing deep emotion, Gautam reflected on his lifelong commitment to communism. “I am not just a little happy—I am very happy today,” he said, recounting that his journey began at the age of seven when he first hoisted the communist flag in second grade.

Now 77, Gautam revealed the hardships he endured, including barely passing his School Leaving Certificate and spending nearly two decades underground working for the party.

He shared that he made two solemn vows in his life: to end the monarchy and to unify the fragmented communist movement. Though the 2018 unification of the UML and Maoist Centre brought him hope for socialism, that unity eventually collapsed, leaving him with unfinished dreams.

Welcomed warmly by Unified Socialist Chairman Madhav Nepal and other leaders, Gautam viewed this merger as a second chance to realize those goals. “We are restarting the journey of building socialism,” he declared. “This is the second chance of my life, and I want to make it a complete success.”

Gautam also noted that it took four years to move from the party office in Swayambhu to the new unified party headquarters, underscoring the long and challenging road to this moment.

The announcement was met with enthusiastic cheers from party members and supporters.