KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and senior leader of the Nepali Communist Party, Jhalanath Khanal, has strongly criticized the government led by Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah, while simultaneously warning his own party against forming “unholy alliances” with right-wing forces.

In a comprehensive public statement issued on social media, Khanal expressed deep concern over the trajectory of the nation under the new administration. He noted that contrary to public expectations that the Shah-led government would resolve burning national issues, there has been a steady deterioration in key sectors.

“Contrary to the general public’s hope that the country’s pressing issues would be resolved under the leadership of newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah, we are seeing disruptions in our nationality, national independence, public livelihoods, and the rights of the people,” Khanal stated.

He further claimed that the government’s policies have destabilized relationships between state organs and adversely affected foreign diplomatic ties, leading to intense economic distress among working-class citizens.

Addressing the rising domestic instability and perceived foreign interference, Khanal stressed that the public eagerly desires to see patriotic, democratic, left-wing, socialist, and progressive forces unite. He argued that the primary responsibility for driving this convergence lies within the communist parties themselves.

“The public wants to see a united initiative from all leftists. For that to happen, left-wing forces must abandon their internal biases, pride, and arrogance,” Khanal said.

However, the former Prime Minister slammed the historical tendency of Nepali communist factions to compromise their class perspective and political ideology for immediate power-sharing benefits.

He admitted that his own party, the Nepali Communist Party, has repeatedly committed this error and warned that a similar threat of entering into opportunistic coalitions with right-wing forces looms large today.

To prevent the party from sinking further into “right-wing class opportunism,” Khanal demanded an immediate meeting of the party’s Central Committee before any new political equations are forged.