Rudra Karki/KATHMANDU. Madhesh based parties fragmented following their rise as the third axis in Nepal’s politics in the post political period of first Constituent Assembly elections. Situation reverted back and in second edition of the CA, most of these regional powers have been relegated to the fourth position. To cope with this unexpected marginalization in the new CA, some of the parties in this array of Madhesh-based parties have initiated unity talks.

Upendra Yadav led Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum Nepal, Mahanth Thakur led Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Rajendra Mahato led Sadhbawana Party  are presently in this talks, reports confirmed.

The meeting held at the Bhaktapur based residence of Mahant Thakur was participated by influential leaders from all these parties, sources in the know-how confirmed.

The source confirmed that the meeting has agreed to form the new party in the Mahant’s leadership and that the discussions have also resolved portfolio allocations to each member of the uniting parties.

Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Mahato have agreed on remaining second men in the party’s leadership hierarchy.

Others to join the second-in-position of this party are Bharat Bimal Yadav from MJF Nepal, Hridesh Tripathi of Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Laxman Lal Karna from Sadbhawana Party, if they chose to join it.

However the discussion is yet to finalize portfolio ranks of lower strata of party membership, general assembly of the proposed new party.

Source claimed that more discussions among senior leadership are on the cards to resolve the remaining discrepancies, while hinting that the talks were moving in a positive direction.

SHASHI KOIRALA (SUNSARI) : Madheshi political parties evolved as the fourth political force in Nepal following the Madhesh Andolan. The rise was followed by their up-roaring promises to get rights for the Madheshi community, which they claimed were denied. A popular sentiment among the Madheshi community to capitalize on. The Madheshi political parties, which were otherwise not so significant in Nepal’s politics, got substantial limelight and sweeping victories in Madheshi electoral constituencies of the erstwhile CA election. Some of these parties were  Madheshi Janadhikar Forum Nepal, Tarai Madeshi Loktantrik Party, and Sadbhavana party.

However the scenario has changed, as it has for UCPN Maoist. This time around, these parties that rose to power through their rebellious talks and outstanding promises are facing hardship to face their voter banks. Old political parties — Nepali Congress and CPN UML — seem gaining back their lost popularity. The reversal in Madheshi parties’s is partly due to the bifurcation of the madhesh based parties into many small fringe parties and mostly it is due to their inability to actualize the “Madhesh Dream”– which they had distributed during the Madhesh Aandolan. Here is  concise election scenario analysis for major Madheshi leaders– harbinger of the Madheshi revolution.

MJF-Nepal is now contending with its two split aways– MJF-Democratic and MJF-Republican; Sadbhavana Party is contending with its two break-away parties– Sanghiya Sadbhavana Party (SSP) and Tarai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party (TMSP) and TMLP is contending against its split-away TMLP Sadbhavana. Along with the division seen in these political parties, their inability to keep their pledges made during the erstwhile CA and their resort to power game are  factors that is funneling public support to Nepali Congress and CPN UML- old players in the region.

Upendra Yadav had won the earlier CA elections in flying colors from Sunsari’s 5 and Morang’s 5 constituencies. But this time around the situation has reversed. He is competitng against MJF-R’s Dinesh Kumar Yadav, MJF-D’s Basantlal Rajbansi, Sadbhavana Party’s Badri Prasad Mandal, TMSP Ramanand Shah Syundi, and SSP’s Jagannath Rajbansi. While these Madheshi leaders, who earlier shared the same Madheshi sentiment will be depriving him of his vote bank, NC’s popular candidate Amrit Kumar Aryal, CPN UML’s Ramlal Shah and UCPN Maoist’s Baleshwor Kamat will give him hard time by claiming some of the vote bank.

Given the circumstances, Yadav will have to hold his breath unless the final voting count-down results come out. This time around there will be no land-slide victory for him certainly.

Back in Sunsari-5 constituency, that is home to Yadav, he has tough competition with CPN UML’s Jagdhish Kusiyat – an old hand in the constituency that is dominated by Muslims and Yadavs. Adding to his woes in the region, his former party comrade Nand Kumar Dutta is also competing against him from UCPN Maoist. Thirdly Nepali Congress is beating up Yadav’s candidacy through its muslim candidate Jameel Miya. Jameel along with UML’s Kaleem Ansari, TMLP’s Adbul Husain Ansari will will ensure that Yadav does not gets any of the muslim community votes.

A total of 39 political party candidates and 11 independent candidates are competing from this constituency and the worst of Yadav’s inability to provide any relief packages during the Koshi floods to the residents has been exploited by other candidates. The sentiment now fresh again will be another setback for Yadav to gain victory.

Bijay Kumar Gachhadar another senior leader in the Madheshi group of leaders is contending from Morang-7 and Sunsari-3. In Sunsari, his home district, he is facing tough competition with NC’s Shekhar Koirala. While MJF-N’s Mo Faiyaz Miya, MJF-R Jhakulal Biswas Tharu will slicing some of his Madheshi vote bank. Other major players in this constituency giving hard time to Gachhadar are UML’s Yashoha Adhikari, UCPN Maoist’s Gopal Chhetri, TMLP’s Raju Mandal Rajbanshi, SP’s Rajendra Prasad Gupta, TMSP’s Randhir Kumar Yadav, and SSP’s Sushila Rajbanshi. A total of 36 political party candidates and 4 independent candidates are competing in this constituency.

Sunsari-3 is a region where Gachhadar seems to have a bit confidence in testifying at the ballot box. But that confidence is briddling away as UML’s Bhagwati Chaudhari’s social-service fame is competing against his never-fulfilled plethora of political promises. Chaudhary has contributed to the development of the area through her NGO, Forward. Prior to this she has served as MP and state minister from UML and her service to the region, that focused on income generation activities, has gained substantial support of Tharu woman community. Adding to that his Muslim community vote bank is presently threatened by UCPN Maoist’s Haider Ali and NC’s Goma Kumari Parajuli Ansari. Chaudhary community votes will be also munched by RPP’s Chandan Kumar Chaudhary. And major claimers of the Madheshi voter bank in the area are Manesh Kumar Rauniya of TMLP, Dharmendra Kumar Raya of SP, Ranjeet Gosai of MJF-N, Ashok Kumra Mehta Koyeri of TMLP, and Ramwilas Mehta of MJF-R. A total of 29 political party candidates and 3 independent are wrestling their muscles in this constituency along with Gachhdar.

Raj Kishor Yadav, Chairman of MJF-R and a big name in Madheshi politics is contending elections from Siraha-6. He has been also victimzed by the Madheshi party split. MJF-D’s Paro Devi Bhindwar and MJF-N Ramsogarath Yadav have given him a tought fight. Other adding to his woes are TMLP Suresh Kumar Mandanl, SP’s Om Prakash Shah, and Rashtriya Madhesh Samajwadi party’s Pradeep Kumar Mandal. And from major parties, Sita Kumari Devi Shah (UML), Amarnath Yadav (UCPN-Maoist) and Ganesh Kumar Mandal (Nepali Congress) are competing against Raj Kishor. A total of 30 political party candidates and 18 independent candidates are contending in this constituency.

Two titans of Madheshi movement- SP’s Rajendra Mahato and TMSP’s Mahendra Rai Yadav are fighting against each other in Sarlahi-4. One’s defeat is sure, if not boths. Both of them are having hard time contending against TMSP’s Ram Naresh Yadav, who has major influence in the constituency’s Yadav community. 28 political party candidates which are Madhesh party split aways and some from major parties and 10 independent candidates are contending in this constituency.

TMLP’s Mahantha Thakur, a seasoned Madheshi politician is contending elections from Sarlahi-6. He is facing tought competition from split-away party TMSP. Shiv Pujan Raya Yadav, an influential leader in this constituency and a former close aide of Thakur is making it hard for Thakur to compete. Next Umresh Kumar Singh, who has got some limelight for his Delhi-connections, is also testing his luck against Thakur. A total of 28 political party candidates and towering 23 independent candidates are competing in this constituency.

Last but not the least, SSP’s Anil Kumar Jha is contending from Rautahat-1. He is confronting CPN UML’s senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal along with other small fishes like SP’s Yogendra Rai Yadav, NSP-Gajendra’s Madan Kumar Jha among others. A total of 39 political party candidates and 21 independent candidates are contending in this region.

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(Shashi Koirala is editor of ReportersNepal.com. Originally published here in Nepali, this article was translated and edited by Chitra Raj Bhandari)

KATHMANDU: Top leaders of major Madhes-based political parties have received life threat by an armed outfit operating violent activities in Tarai.

The Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha has issued such treats to top Madhesi leaders. The party was recently united with a dozen of other armed outfits.

Issuing a press statement on Sunday, the party has announced ‘physical action’ against top leadership and district level leaders of seven different Madhes-based political parties from next week onwards.

Upendra Yadav, Rajendra Mahato, Bijay Gachhadar, Mahantha Thakur, Raj Kishor Yadav, Mahendra Ray Yadav and Anil Jha have been named for the ‘action’.

The outfit has also announced physcial attack against the government officials based in Madhes. Morcha’s Chairman Rajan Mukti has issued the statement stating announcing Tarai banda on August 4.

However, analysts believe that the violent activities of the Morcha would not be stringent as announced due to its poor organizational and political position in the regions.

The Madhesi leader said there should be multi- provinces in Madhesh based on identity of multi lingual and multicultural and economic sustainability of the Madhesi.

He further added that the issue of single province was never acceptable for the YAN. The issue of single province has been brought to light to fulfill vested interest of some people and parties after dividing the Madheshi people, he added. He blamed that the Madhesh based parties have nurtured double standard in this regard.

CPN-UML central committee member and Ram Chandra Jha blamed Unified CPN (Maoist) for current political deadlock.