People's Liberation Army, Nepal

People's Liberation Army, Nepal is the armed wing of the party. The PLA was founded in 2001, in the midst of the Nepal Civil War initiated by the Maoists in 1996. The chief commander of the PLA during the war was Prachanda (Pushpa Kamal Dahal). On September 12, 2008, Nanda Kishor Pun was appointed new chief commander of the PLA, as Prachanda had become Prime Minister of Nepal. This move was in line with a pledge issued by the CPN(M), issued prior to the 2008 Constituent Assembly election, that their members elected to the Assembly would leave their PLA positions.[1][2]

Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the PLA soldiers stay in seven major and 21 satellite cantonments that are spread throughout the country.^[5] The party stands by the agreement whereby it states that PLA and the Royal Nepal Army should be integrated. Integration of the two armies is a one of the issue that is lagging behind with the downfall of the Prachanda government. The government claims the PLA to be under its supervision and chain of command. On the other hand, the party claims that the PLA is still under the party's chain of command and are ready to work for the party when it faces hard times.

Senior Maoist and PLA leaders say they are following the agreements of the peace process, and that the former combatants remain within the confines of these cantonments. Inside these camps, members of the PLA train every morning, discuss national politics, and say that if their demands are not met, they won't hesitate to pick up arms again.^[6]