The 10th national convention of the CPN (Unified Socialist) kicked off in Kathmandu on Sunday.

Party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the five-day national convention.

Nepal said his party was moving ahead abiding by democratic spirit and values. He also said that the people’s aspirations could be met only by making amendments to the law, not to the constitution.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal chairman Upendra Yadav, CPN-Maoist leader Biplav, Janamat Party chairman CK Raut, Rastriya Janamorcha chair Chitra Bahadur KC, Nagarik Unmukti Party chair Ranjita Shrestha and leaders of other parties extended best wishes for the success of the convention. However, CPN UML chairman KP Oli was not present.

Senior party leader Jhalanath Khanal and other leaders were present at the convention.

There are altogether 1,849 representatives taking part in the five-day convention which will elect a 299-member working committee and 21 office-bearers.

Addressing the inaugural session of the convention, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that all democratic national forces must unite to fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people.

Prime Minister Prachanda who is also a Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre) pointed out the need for national consensus to resolve the country’s issues and meet the aspirations of the Nepali people. He said, “The leaders of the movement must once again take a unified resolution to bring about significant changes and fulfil the hopes and expectations of the Nepali people. Unity and centrality are essential.”

Stating that all democratic and patriotic forces should be united for national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national self-respect, Prime Minister Prachanda urged for centralised efforts to further refine the federal democratic republic achieved through long struggle and sacrifices of the Nepali people.

Prime Minister Prachanda said efforts were being made to create misinformation that nothing was happening in the country. He suggested the CPN (US) to move forward by bringing proper plan for communist unity, national unity and prosperity of the country by fostering revolutionary optimism and correct ideological and political directions.

“Nothing has happened in the country, there is nothing, nothing will happen, the parties are all dead, the leaders are all dead. In my opinion, that comment is reactionary, that is a regressive comment,” Prime Minister Prachanda said.

Expressing the belief that everything would be in the flow of constant change, Prime Minister Prachanda asked to analyse the situation and move forward.

He said, “Communist movement of Nepal has progressed with unity, struggle and transformation, we are suffering from it.

We believe in dialectical materialism. Communists are not extremists, we think in a future-oriented way. We think optimistically, not pessimistically.”

Stating that the CPN (Unified Socialist) and CPN (Maoist Centre) were trying to form a single party as far as possible, Prime Minister Prachanda said that all patriots and revolutionaries of the country should unite and address the needs and desires of the people. He said that in order to address the aspirations of good governance, social justice and prosperity, we should move forward unitedly.

Likewise, NC president Deuba stressed the need for safeguarding the Constitution and strengthening the federal republic system.

Stating that the CPN (Unified Socialist) was working with firm commitment to federal republic system.

“Leader Nepal has played an important role in national politics, whether it is in restoring peace or drafting the constitution,” Deuba said.