Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party

Progressive Democratic Party
Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party
प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी
AbbreviationPDP
PLP
PraLoPa
LeaderJanardan Sharma
Presidium5 membered
SpokespersonSantosh Pariyar
FounderBaburam Bhattarai, Janardan Sharma, Santosh Pariyar and others
Founded20 November 2025; 11 months ago (2025-11-20)
Merger ofMaoist Centre (minority)
NSP (Naya Shakti)
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
Progressive socialism
Political positionCentre-left
Colours 
SloganNepali Soil, Our Way
नेपाली माटो, हाम्रो बाटो
Seats in Gandaki Provincial Assembly
1 / 60
Election symbol
Party flag

The Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party (PLP) is a centre-left political party in Nepal. The party formation was announced on 14 November 2025 through an agreement signed by former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's Nepal Socialist Party, Janardan Sharma's Progressive National Campaign, and Santosh Pariyar, former chief whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. The party retained the eye as its election symbol.

History

Formation

Former Finance and Home minister of Nepal, Janardan Sharma formed the Progressive National Campaign along with former ministers Ram Karki, Sudan Kirati from CPN (Maoist Centre) that had opposed the formation of Nepali Communist Party. The campaign was launched 4 November 2025 with a vision to develop new form of Nepali socialism putting forward youths in leadership. The campaign aimed to create a new mainstream leftist force, free from the influence of older leaders who have been involved in the political revolving door of leadership.

On 14 November 2025 the campaign announced the formation of the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party along with former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's Nepal Socialist Party (Naya Shakti) and former Rastriya Swatantra Party chief whip Santosh Pariyar.

In May 2026, Bhattarai left the PLP.

Ideology

As part of the original merger agreement, the party's ideology consisted of Progressive Socialism and support for a multi-party system in Nepal, while the party itself remains officially secular. The party's ideological political stand with participation of all in democracy. The party's manifesto called for a transition to a directly elected presidential system, direct elections for provincial heads and a fully proportional electoral system. The party proposed limiting the federal parliament to legislative duties and forming a cabinet chosen by the executive head. The manifesto called for the formation of a National Development Authority that would be under the executive's leadership. It also proposed free education up to the secondary level, free basic healthcare and a unified social security system. The party also proposed 100 days of employment or equivalent in unemployment benefits for individuals aged 21 to 30. The manifesto called for the introduction of the right to reject and right to recall and voting rights of Nepalis abroad. It supported progressive taxation, encouraging foreign investment, including from Non-Resident Nepalis, and agricultural insurance. The manifesto aims for full domestic energy self-sufficiency. It also proposed granting citizenship by descent for children of Nepali emigrants up to three generations.

Central committee

The party formed 151 membered central committee under conservation of Baburam Bhattarai. Former ministers Janardan Sharma, Ram Karki stayed on role of senior leaders without portfolio.

Leadership

Presidium

Source:

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Nepali: प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी, lit. 'Progressive Democratic Party', abbr.
  2. ↑ Nepali: प्रलोपा

References

  1. ↑ Sureis (2017-12-04). "Democratic socialism, not communism, is need of the hour: Baburam Bhattarai". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
  2. ↑ "Baburam Bhattarai likens Nepal's communist movement to Soviet-era stagnation". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
  3. ↑ "जनार्दन शर्मा नेतृत्वको 'प्रगतिशील अभियान'द्वारा नयाँ समाजवादी बाटो विकास गर्ने घोषणा". www.ratopati.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  4. ↑ "Santosh Pariyar and Manushi in talks with Janardan's team to form new party". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  5. ↑ "Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party announced". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  6. 1 2 "Naya Shakti, Pragatisheel Rastriya Abhiyan and Santosh Pariyar to form unified party". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  7. ↑ "Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party formally announced". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  8. ↑ "Maoist Centre splits as Janardan Sharma faction breaks away". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  9. ↑ "शर्मा र कार्कीले घोषणा गरे समाजवादी कार्यक्रम". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  10. ↑ "Janardan Sharma leaves Maoist Center, announces Pragatisheel Abhiyan Nepal". Setopati. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  11. ↑ "Dissident Maoist leader Janardan Sharma launches youth-led political campaign". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  12. ↑ "ओली, प्रचण्ड र माधवविहीन 'कम्युनिस्ट' पार्टीको होमवर्क". www.ratopati.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-11-04.
  13. ↑ "Naya Shakti, Pragatisheel Rastriya Abhiyan and Santosh Pariyar to form unified party". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2025-11-14.
  14. ↑ "Baburam Bhattarai leaves Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party". Setopati. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
  15. ↑ "Baburam Bhattarai: New party formed in line with the spirit of the Gen-Z movement". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  16. ↑ "प्रलोपाद्वारा घोषणापत्र सार्वजनिक, प्रत्यक्ष निर्वाचित राष्ट्रपति र पूर्ण समानुपातिक प्रणालीमा जोड (पूर्णपाठसहित)". Ratopati (in Nepali). Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  17. ↑ "नवगठित प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीको पाँच सदस्यीय अध्यक्ष परिषद्‍". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  18. ↑ "यस्तो बन्यो प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीको अध्यक्ष परिषद". Setopati. Retrieved 2025-11-23.