Defections gain ground in Madhes
KATHMANDU, JUN 16 -
With the second Constituent Assembly election announced, defections in Madhes-centric parties, which are already taking the matter seriously, are likely to increase.
Party leaders of various ranks are in talks with four Mashes-centric parties—Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik), Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, Sadbhawana Party, and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal.
According to a Sadbhawana Party leader who did not want to be named, those in talks include Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Ganatantrik General Secretary Iqbal Ahmed Shah and former lawmakers Karima Begum, Sanjay Shah and Satrughan Mahato.
Also included is Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party-Nepal leader Dan Bahadur Chaudhary. Armed outfit members such as Kautilya Sharma and Bhagat Singh have also been invited to join. Sharma’s father Ram Ashis has defected to Sadbhawana from the TMLP-N. The party is said to be in talks with former Inspector General of Police Pradeep Shumsher Rana.
The MJF-L, led by Bijaya Gachhadar, got Govinda Chaudhary, Chanda Chaudhary, Urmila Mahato and Arbinda Shah from the TMLP-N. “We are holdings talks at different levels and intend to bring as many people as possible,” said Rameshwor Ray Yadav, senior vice-chairman of the MJF-L.
Even the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party has been holding talks with leaders including Anil Jha of Sanghiya Sadbhawana Party and Ram Naresh Ray of Rastriya Sadbhawana Party. According to TMLP Joint General-secretary Jitendra Sonar, the party is considering talks with former bureaucrats.
This effort is aimed at showing the parties’ numerical strength, in view of the call of their constituencies to go to the polls as a “unified force”. The move may be significant considering that Madhes has emerged as an important political constituency where every major party is vying for a strong foothold. UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has announced that he will contest election from the southern plains. The Maoist party has also approached some Madhes-centric parties for electoral alliance. Madhes figured prominently in the Mahasamiti meeting of the Nepali Congress in April in Triveni.
“The Madhes-centric parties need to come up with substantive issues and not focus merely on poaching cadres. Only then can there be meaningful talk of unity among the Madhesi parties,” observed analyst Dipendra Jha.
With the second Constituent Assembly election announced, defections in Madhes-centric parties, which are already taking the matter seriously, are likely to increase.
Party leaders of various ranks are in talks with four Mashes-centric parties—Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik), Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, Sadbhawana Party, and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal.
According to a Sadbhawana Party leader who did not want to be named, those in talks include Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Ganatantrik General Secretary Iqbal Ahmed Shah and former lawmakers Karima Begum, Sanjay Shah and Satrughan Mahato.
Also included is Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party-Nepal leader Dan Bahadur Chaudhary. Armed outfit members such as Kautilya Sharma and Bhagat Singh have also been invited to join. Sharma’s father Ram Ashis has defected to Sadbhawana from the TMLP-N. The party is said to be in talks with former Inspector General of Police Pradeep Shumsher Rana.
The MJF-L, led by Bijaya Gachhadar, got Govinda Chaudhary, Chanda Chaudhary, Urmila Mahato and Arbinda Shah from the TMLP-N. “We are holdings talks at different levels and intend to bring as many people as possible,” said Rameshwor Ray Yadav, senior vice-chairman of the MJF-L.
Even the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party has been holding talks with leaders including Anil Jha of Sanghiya Sadbhawana Party and Ram Naresh Ray of Rastriya Sadbhawana Party. According to TMLP Joint General-secretary Jitendra Sonar, the party is considering talks with former bureaucrats.
This effort is aimed at showing the parties’ numerical strength, in view of the call of their constituencies to go to the polls as a “unified force”. The move may be significant considering that Madhes has emerged as an important political constituency where every major party is vying for a strong foothold. UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has announced that he will contest election from the southern plains. The Maoist party has also approached some Madhes-centric parties for electoral alliance. Madhes figured prominently in the Mahasamiti meeting of the Nepali Congress in April in Triveni.
“The Madhes-centric parties need to come up with substantive issues and not focus merely on poaching cadres. Only then can there be meaningful talk of unity among the Madhesi parties,” observed analyst Dipendra Jha.
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