Kathmandu, February 10
The CPN-Maoist Centre is preparing to rebrand itself by changing the party name, election symbol and party organisation.
The party chairman, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, tabled a proposal in this regard during the party’s central committee meeting on Thursday, informs Ram Prasad Sapkota, a politburo member of the party.
The party had adopted CPN-Maoist as its name from the erstwhile CPN-Unity Centre before beginning the armed struggle in 1996. Since then, the party has changed names several times, but ‘Maoist’ has remained at the centre.
But, now, the party wants to discontinue the Maoist brand, according to insiders.
Giriraj Mani Pokharel, a senior leader of the party, says the party could adopt CPN-Socialist Centre as its new name to include Baburam Bhattarai, a former Maoist leader, who is preparing to unify with Dahal.
Likewise, the party is changing the election symbol as the existing sickle and hammer in the circle could not attract the urban crowd, the insiders say.
