KATHMANDU, May 7: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) leader Mahendra Raya Yadav has said that unification with the newly formed Samajbadi Party Nepal is the need of the people and country.

Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) led by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav and Naya Shakti Party Nepal led by former Prime Minister Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai formally united on Monday to form Samajbadi Party, vowing to become an alternate political force in the country.

With the new party taking the agenda of constitution amendment and people’s struggle as their medium to move forward centering their politics in Terai-Madhes, RJPN seems eager to give the stalled month-long merger process another go ahead.

“We want to merge with the Samajbadi party. We did not have enough time for discussion with the FSFN. But informal negotiations are still continuing. RJPN-Samabadi merger is the need of the country and people,” said Yadav talking to Rishi Dhamala at a Nepali Radio Network program Nepali Bahas. The RJPN is currently on homework for holding its first general convention.

“The ruling party Nepal Communist Party and the main opposition party Nepali Congress are trying to force two-party system bringing the provision of five percent threshold. Therefore, unification with Samajbadi is a requisite. Our party has officially decided to merge,” he added.

At present, a party should garner three percent votes under Proportional Representation and at least one seat under the First-Past-the-Post in the elections to gain the status of the national political party.

When asked if RJPN will agree with Samajbadi party’s 11-province model for the federal structure, Yadav said that his party also demands state restructuring.

“We have demanded revision in the constitution because we disagree with the current model of province demarcation,” he said.

Also, if the unification with the Samajbadi materializes, it will put RJPN into a stronger position to bargain with the government its agenda of constitution amendment since the three-party merger will give them 34 seats in the 275-member parliament.

RJPN, in early March, withdrew its support from the government led by Nepali Communist Party Chair K P Sharma Oli, citing the prime minister failed to keep his promise of constitution amendment.

“The clause in disagreement must be amended. Consensus on the political issues we have forwarded is a must,” he said.

He also asked Prime Minister Oli to discard his arrogance of two-third majority he commands in the parliament.

“The arrogance of previous governments led to breaking of 10-yearlong Maoist insurgency. If PM Oli keeps showing his arrogance, more problems will be created. There will be no peace, good governance and stability,” he said.

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Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) led by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav and Naya Shakti Party Nepal led by former Prime Minister Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai formally united on Monday forming a new party Samajbadi Party Nepal—vowing to become an alternate political force in the country.

Now, the newly formed party will head for culminating merger with another stronger political force of Terai-Madhes, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN), although previous effort between RJPN and FSFN (now dissolved after merger Naya Shakti) made no progress after Yadav refused to pull out of the government as demanded by the RJPN.

While announcing the merger, both Yadav, who will act as the chair of the 25-member committee of the new party, and Bhattarai, who agreed to head the federal council, have called on the RJPN to come for unification process, promising a collective fight in the cause of the poor and the marginalized.

The unification process with the regional party RJPN–who has long demanded an amendment in the Constitution of Nepal and withdrew its support given to the government on early March citing the ruling Nepal Communist Party failed to keep its promise to amend the constitution–could make a positive headway given that the newly formed party has taken up constitutional amendment and people’s struggle as a tool to move forward in the path of progressive transformation, sustainable development and equitable prosperity.

RJPN—the party was formed after the unification between six of the seven constituents of the Unified Democratic Madhesi Front on 14 April, 2017—and Yadav (FSFN being the other constituent) continues their strong disapproval toward the Constitution of Nepal promulgated in 2015—which backtracked the Interim Constitution 2007, although the first amendment was done. The struggle against the constitution has continued for decades as Madhes Movement, which first broke out in 2007, a day after the announcement of the interim constitution which ignored the concept of federalism, the most desired political agenda of Madhesis and other marginalized communities.

Moreover, merging with Samajbadi would land a strong bargaining position with the government for the long-fought agenda of RJPN since unification would give them 34 seats in the 275-member parliament. RJPN has 17 seats, FSFN has 16 seats and Naya Shakti has one member in the parliament.

Bhattarai formed Naya Shakti on 12, July 2016 determined to establish a new political force. He had announced alliance with the for CPN-UML and his mother party CPN (Maoist Center) (UML and Maoist Center united to form Nepal Communist Party after elections) on the eve of the House of Representatives election held in 2017 and departed from the alliance two weeks later after he was not guaranteed an election ticket in his home town Gorkha. Bhattarai defeated his rival from Maoist Center Narayan Kaji Shrestha by more than 6,500 votes. Bhattarai while announcing merger with FSFN has said that Terai-Madhes would be the center of their politics.

Yadav has also called RJPN and other parties to join forces with them for a decisive socialist movement that would fight for strengthening democracy and bringing real reforms in the country.

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KATHMANDU, April 15: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) presidium member Raj Kishor Yadav said that his party will join force with the political parties having similar principles in their struggle against the government.

Speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Monday, Yadav, also the former minister, said, “We continued supporting the government for a year. But, the we withdrew our support after the ruling Nepal Communist Party kept ignoring our demands.”

The disgruntled Madhes-based regional party in March officially withdrew its support given to the government days after their lawmaker Resham Lal Chaudhary, the main suspect of 2015 Tikapur massacre, was slapped with 10 years of imprisonment.  The party accused he government of failing to address their demands as per the agreement including constitution amendment, not releasing those arrested during Madhes and Tharuhat agitation, not withdrawing cases filed in courts against them and not helping them with medical treatment.

Asserting that the government has weakened the federal system, Yadav accused the ruling party working seriously to maintain peace, good governance and prosperity in the country despite commanding two-third majority in the House.

“The government must do homework to make people realize that they are doing a lot to make difference in people’s lives,” he said.

“Instead, the government is doing the opposite. They become aggressive toward the people and the party who put forth different opinion.”

“We are being united to pressure the government and make them aware of their current activities. We will join force with the parties carrying similar principle to make our struggle against the government result-oriented.”

He also shared that his party is fully busy preparing for the upcoming general convention.

KATHMANDU, March 18: The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) has decided to obstruct the meeting of the House of Representatives until the government publicizes the Girish Chandra Lal Commission report on Madhes protest.

The RJPN, for the third time, obstructed the meeting on Sunday, demanding the publication of report.

“Unless the government publishes the commission’s report, we will continue to obstruct the parliament,” RJPN presidium member Ani Jha said.

The commission formed to probe into the killings and violent incidents that took place during the 2015/16 Madhes protest in September 2016, submitted its report in December 2017. The commission investigated 3,264 complaints lodged by victims, ordinary citizens and political parties to prepare the report.

However, the government has yet to publish the Lal report.

The RJPN has also accused the government of concealing the truth. According to Jha, the report will help identify perpetrator from both sides.

66 people, including 10 security personnel and one 18-month-old child, were killed during the Madhes protests. Of them, 56 were civilians.

BIRATNAGAR, March 7: Presidium member of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN), Rajendra Mahato, has said that they will go to the people against the court’s decision of sentencing life imprisonment to the parliamentarian elected by the people.

Kailali District Court on Wednesday slapped Chaudhary and ten others with life imprisonment on charge of attacking the security force attempting to enforce security on August 24, 2015 in Tikapur, Kailali killing seven police officers and a two-year old baby.

Talking to media persons at Biratnagar airport on Thursday, leader Mahato expressed the view that action should be taken against leaders of all movements taken place earlier if action is taken against the leaders participated in all movements for ensuring rights.

He said there is still dissatisfaction of indigenous nationalities, Tharu and Madhesi communities towards the constitution, adding that agitation is still underway for ensuring their rights.

Leader Mahato said the RJPN will launch peaceful agitation within few days for ensuring rights of backward communities by making alliance with parties having same ideology.

Similarly, another Presidium member Sarad Singh Bhandari said that people will be frustrated while carrying out judicial execution after filing criminal case against lawmakers.

He said that people will know all the truth if report of Madhes Movement and Tharuhat Movement Investigation Commission is made public. RSS

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KATHMANDU, Jan 20: The Rastriya Janata Party has decided to appoint Mahendra Raya Yadav as the Coordinator of the Presidium of the party.

The party’s central committee meeting on Saturday decided to appoint member of the Presidium Yadav as the coordinator with effect from today.

During the meeting, the party also decided to establish a ‘Martyrs Welfare Fund’ to mark the sacrifice day in honor of the martyrs families.

DHANUSHA, July 24: Rastriya Janata Party (RJP)-Nepal has recommended names of three state ministers joining the provincial government of province no 2.

Coordinator of RJP-Nepal Presidium, Mahantha Thakur, recommended the names of Suresh Mandal, Dr Dimple Kumari Jha and Abhiram Sharma for the state ministers. Preparation was underway to sworn in them on Wednesday.

Dr Jha has been recommended for the appointment as minister of state for Physical Infrastructure, Sharma as minister of state for Social Development and Mandal as minister of state for Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment.

Similarly, the meeting also took the decision to appoint Parameshwor Sah as Chief Whip of the party.

KATHMANDU, June 7: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) is likely to withdraw its support given to the central government.

A meeting of the RJPN political committee to be held on Friday will officially withdraw support from the central government, according to RJPN presidium committee member Raj Kishor Yadav.

However, the Madhes-centric party will not break its alliance with the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) led by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav in Province 2, according to RJPN leader Yadav.

The two parties, FSFN and RJPN have formed a coalition government in the Madhesi province.

RJPN leaders are divided over whether to quit the government led by FSFN in Province 2 after the FSFN decided to join the Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli-led government.

RJPN General Secretary Manish Suman Wednesday told Reporters’ Club Nepal that the party is mulling to quit the FSFN government.

Suman had also said that RJPN will withdraw its support from the central government saying the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) led by Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal forgot their commitment to amend constitution if RJPN voted in favor of NCP in the elections of President, Prime Minister and Speaker.

“The government has completely ignored Madhes in the budget in introduced recently. The government brought the budget going against the spirit of federalism and Madhes, which is not acceptable to us,” said RJPN leader Yadav.

“The government is also reluctant to our demand of constitution amendment,” he added.

“Thus, the meeting tomorrow is likely to take the decision to drop its support given to the central government,” he added.

KATHMANDU, May 24: The chances of Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN), the fourth largest party in the federal parliament, joining the government are becoming uncertain due to lack of concrete assurance over constitution amendment from Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. In the backdrop of growing rift between Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and the government, RJPN leaders held a meeting with PM Oli at Baluwatar on Thursday. The RJPN leaders said that they are open to the possibility if the government assures them of constitution amendment.

Meanwhile, the RJPN, even five months after the conclusion of November 26 December7 House of Representatives and Provincial elections, has failed to elect a parliamentary party leader, deputy leader, chief whip and whip, among others. The government also unveiled its policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year 2018/19 on May 21. Focusing on these issues, Reporters’ Club Nepal President Rishi Dhamala has interviewed Mahendra Raya Yadav, leader of RJPN. Here is an edited excerpt of the interview:

What is RJPN’s view on the policies and programs brought by the government?

It is ambitious but not enough to meet the people’s dream of economic prosperity. Therefore the policies and programs must be amended. Also, it is important how to implement the endorsed programs.

Why do you think the policies and programs are not enough?

The policies and programs need some changes. We have proposed amendment over it because it, especially, has failed to include the problems of families of the martyrs. The policies and programs, in overall, have excluded the agenda of ensuring fundamental rights to all the people of the country.

Should not the policies and programs focus on economic agendas?

The government should find out the ways to resolve the ongoing political problems along with agenda of economic development. Without resolving the political problems, economic development is not possible.

How likely is RJPN joining the government?

There have been no such talks about RJPN participating in the government. Unless the government gives unequivocal assurance to constitution amendment, release of political prisoner and treatment of those injured in the Madhes movement, moral ground for us to participate in the government will not be created.

Isn’t constitution amendment RJPN’s major agenda?

Certainly! People have given us a mandate to amend constitution. Therefore, until our demands are not met, the door to join the government will not open. People will not discount us to abandon the agenda of constitution amendment.

What do the people of Madhes want?

People of Madhes want unity between the political parties. It is their wish to have a strong force in Madhes.

Why has RJPN elected a parliamentary party leader yet even after five months of conclusion of the elections?

We are preparing statute. After we finalize the statute, we will nominate a PP leader. It will happen soon.

Will RJPN elect Mahantha Thakur as its PP leader?

He is the coordinator of party’s presidium committee. He is a proper leader and possesses a right kind of maturity. He can lead all other party leaders together. It will be better if the party nominated him as the PP leader.

KATHMANDU, March 12: Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) leader Mahendra Raya Yadav Monday said that his party voted Prime Minister K P Oli in the confidence motion in order to institutionalize the rights of Madhesi people.

“If the government has two-third majority, it will help address the issues of constitution amendment as we have demanded. Therefore, we supported PM Oli,” said Yadav talking to Rishi Dhamala at a radio program Nepali Bahas.

“Now, the government must first meet our demands of constitution amendment. Only then, we will become ready to join the government led by UML Chair Oli.”

PM Oli on Sunday secured the two third vote of confidence at the parliament. Of the total 268 parliamentarians who took part in the voting, Oli receivied 208 votes. The Madhes based parties RJPN and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) had also voted in favor of Oli.

He also added that his party, RJPN was holding talks with the government regarding the issues of amendment and possibilities of his party’s participation in the government.

“UML has assured of revision in constitution on the basis on need and justification. So, we are hopeful that our demands will be addressed,” said Yadav.

PM Oli, at a meeting of the federal parliament on Sunday before facing the vote of confidence, had stated that he had never ruled out the possibility of the amendment to the constitution. Oli also gave his words that the government would revise it on the basis of its meaning and would bring all dissenting parties on the same board.

Yadav also demanded release of lawmaker RJPN Resham Chaudhary, who is in custody in charge of masterminding the 2015 Tikapur incident.

RJPN has demanded that the government withdraw the case against everyone connected with Tikapur carnage and not to look at the incident from criminal angle.