Nepal’s Pragatisheel Lokatantrik Party Splits, Ram Karki Quits

Ram Karki, a key leader of Nepal’s Pragatisheel Lokatantrik Party (Pralo), has announced his departure from the party following its split. The party, founded by former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, former Maoist leader Janardan Sharma, and former Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Santosh Pariyar, among others, has seen several leaders leave in recent times.

Karki, who was part of the party’s central committee, stated that he has already joined the ‘Marxist School of Praxis’ and will remain affiliated with it. He expressed gratitude for the opportunities he had while in Pralo. Karki noted that the party had ideologically disintegrated long ago, and now it has formally split.

As per the agreement reached today, Baburam Bhattarai has revived the Nepal Samajwadi Party (Naya Shakti), which he had formed before establishing Pralo. Durga Sob will lead the party, and its election symbol will be the ‘eye’. Santosh Pariyar’s party will retain the Pralo name, and its election symbol will feature three colors, excluding the ‘eye’ symbol. Several leaders, including Sudan Kirati and Ojaswi Bhattarai, had already left the party.