KATHMANDU: Asmita Sunar, who has been said to be the Secretary of Province-1 of the yet-to-be registered Communist Party of Nepal-UML (CPN-UML) at the Election Commission has been found to be close to Nepal Communist Party leader and former Industry Minister Mahesh Basnet.

Sunar has maintained a smooth relation at the President’s Office, Shital Niwas and Prime Minister’s official residence, Baluwatar.

The application for registration of Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) party at the Election Commission (EC) had earlier this week raised eyebrows in the political spectrum, particularly within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which is current undergoing disputes.

A group of young people last week reached the EC and applied for registration of the CPN-UML, which was earlier a party led by Prime Minister KP Oli.

The party merged with the then Maoist (Center) in May 2018 to form the NCP.

Leaders of the ruling NCP, including its vice chairman Bam Dev Gautam, have alleged PM Oli of trying to revive the CPN-UML as the NCP is currently facing internal rift.

As many as 21 people have applied for the registration of the party at the EC.

According to sources, the Chairperson of the CPN-UML is Sandhya Tiwari of Morang district, while Bhagawati Khadka of Ramechhap is the Vice Chairperson.

Likewise, Manish Kumar Upadhyaya of Dhanusha is the General Secretary.

Meanwhile, the members of the party include Nilam Pokharel of Jhapa, Pawan Bista of Kathmandu, Umesh Mahato of Sarlahi, Usha Kumari Jha of Dhanusha, Pradeep Raj Giri of Kathmandu, Kiran Lamichhane of Kathmandu, Nischal Basnet of Siraha, Purnima Tamang of Kavre, Bimala Karki of Bhaktapur, Sanjeev Bista of Kathmandu, and Bimala Bista Rokka of Kathmandu.