PM Oli has not yet agreed upon constitutional amendment which has disgruntled the Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav and Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai. The parties main agenda was to have the constitutional amendment bill tabled at the parliament in a jiffy, but apparently things seem to go otherwise.

According to PMO sources Federal Affairs Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal has briefed the Prime Minister to this regard about absolute discontent within its coalition members from the Samajwadi Party led by DPM Yadav.

Dr. Bhattarai, who is the Chairman of the Federal Council of the Samajwadi Party, has been salient regarding the issue, and has been applying pressure to Yadav to pull out of the existing coalition.

This has escalated to a point where crucial constituents have been largely dissatisfied which include a large population of Madhes. A prolonged year with the government and the amendment is not in sight. Earlier the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) had withdrawn its support to the government for its failure to keep its promise of amending the constitution.

The amendment includes demarcation, citizenship and identity rights for the people of Madhes where most of them are economically backward. The RJPN also accused the government of not withdrawing cases filed against those arrested during the Madhes movement and neglected on medical treatment of those individuals injured during the protests.

RJPN had dropped its support to the government just hours after the District Court of Kailai convicted their parliamentary representative Resham Lal Chaudhary in the gruesome killing of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Laxman Neupane and seven other security personnel along with a two year old girl child, in Tikapur back in 2015.

KATHMANDU, June 4: Samajbadi Party –led by Upendra Yadav is planning to quit the government citing the government failed to implement the agreements reached with them, according to sources.

A source close to Yadav said that the party has been pressuring the deputy prime minister and health minister to leave the government.  “Samajbadi Party will make to decision in this regard within a few days,” he added.

Last year in May, Yadav-led FSFN had reached a two-point deal with the government. According to the deal, the FSFN will join the government while in return the government will address the issues and demands raised by the Madhes-based party during the Madhes movement in consensus by amending the constitution.

A month ago, the FSFN merged with Naya Shakti Party led by Dr Baburam Bhatarai to form Samajbadi Party– promising a collective fight in the cause of the poor and the marginalized and become an alternate political force in the country.

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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Samajbadi Party: A new power on the horizon as merger with RJPN looms

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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RJPN eager to merge with Samajbadi Party: Mahendra Raya Yadav

KATHMANDU, March 25: Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) vice Chair Rajendra Shrestha has clarified that the party is not quitting the government right away.

The regional parties FSFN and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN), who have formed a coalition government in Province 2, have opened the door for formal dialogues for the unification process, which was stalled for one and a half year.

But the RJPN, who have chosen to stay out of the Nepal Communist Party co-chair K P Sharma Oli-led government and also recently withdrew its support, asked FSFN to quit the government to clear path for merging process.

However, FSFN Chair Upendra Yadav, who is the deputy prime minister and heads health ministry, refused the RJPN’s request stating they would think about quitting the government after the merger.

“RJPN’s request to FSFN to leave the government was not reasonable. We are not in the mood to quit the government right away,” Shrestha told Reporters’ Club Nepal.

“Party’s philosophy and agendas are the key ingredients for merger possibilities. Therefore, I don’t think FSFN staying or quitting the government really matter in the unification dialogue,” he added.

“Despite the differences, both the parties are positive about the unification.”

According to Shrestha, if the government keeps hesitating to amend the constitution as promised, the FSFN will leave the government.

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Both RJPN, FSFN positive about merger: Raj Kishor Yadav

KATHMANDU, March 17: Federal Socialist Forum Nepal Chair and Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav has argued that the government, by deciding to bring CK Raut led Alliance for Independent Madhesh into mainstream politics, has become successful.

“Raut was leading a secessionist movement demanding separate Madhes. But the government brought Raut to the mainstream politics by reaching a 11-point deal,” said Yadav talking to journalists at Biratnagar Airport on Sunday.

“The government has become successful,” he added, “We should not misinterpret the agreement between Raut and the government.”

Yadav also said that government fulfilled its duty by restricting the activities of Netra Bikram Chanda ‘Biplav’ led Communist Party of Nepal.

“It is the government’s duty to provide security to people. Thus, the government can impose ban on any activities that are threat to nation and its people,” he added.

Raut and the government reached an 11-point agreement on March 8, a day after the Supreme Court issued a release order of Raut who had been in jail for the past four months.

After signing the agreement, Raut quit his separatist movement withdrawing his demand for separate Madhes to join national politics while acknowledging Nepal as a free and sovereign nation.

Yadav also reiterated that his party is not quitting the government. “We will continue serving people from the government,” he said.

He also opined that Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN)’s withdrawal of support from the government has no meaning at all.

KATHMANDU, Jan 22: Federal Socialist Forum Nepal Chair Updendra Yadav has been exploring the possibilities of unification with the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

A high placed source said on Tuesday that Yadav and NCP Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ recently held discussions on unification possibilities between the two parties.

Yadav, also the deputy prime minister and health minister, has already given a positive nod for the merger with NCP.

Sources have claimed that Yadav will be ready for the merger with NCP in a condition if he is offered the position of vice-chair in the largest party. Prachanda is also positive toward Yadav’s demand.

KATHMANDU, June 15: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, Upendra Yadav, has insisted on the need for further promoting ayurved and using it in treatment of new diseases.

In his address to an international seminar organized by Nepal Ayurved Research and Training Center on Friday, he called for support of India and China towards that end. Ayurved specialists and experts from Nepal, India and China are present in the event.

Ayurved linked to tradition and culture should be used in treatment of new diseases with the development of advanced technology and knowledge in this field and it will help reduce the import of drugs.” Ayurved has not been given importance at policy-making levels, thus sidelining it from mainstream of medical science.”

Health Secretary Pushpa Chaudhary said ayurved was always the priority of the government, expressing hope that it would see further boost in a federalized Nepal.

Center executive director Dr Siddhartha Kumar Thakur said the Center had been continuously working to promote ayurved and its use.

National Institute of Ayurved Jaypur, India’s director Prof Dr Sanjeev Sharma said “Nepal is the place of origin of Ayurved and it has ayurved manuscripts rich in knowledge ,” echoing of the need of further consolidating mutual cooperation to promote it. RSS

POKHARA, June 8: Upendra Yadav, chairman of Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population has said that political stability will lead the nation on the way to prosperity.

In a press meet organized by Federal Press Forum Kaski on Saturday, DPM Yadav stressed on modernization of agricultural sector, development of tourism and hydro sectors to eradicate the poverty in the country.

On another note, he added that his party had joined the government after forging consensus with the government and Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to correct the errors seen in the constitution.

With the participation of the party in the NCP-led government, it had over a two-third majority. “It is essential to make provinces powerful by formulating required laws,” DPM Yadav added.

Minister Yadav pledged to do his best to ensure people’s basic needs such as education, health, shelter and drinking water along with the guarantee of Federal identity, social inclusion, autonomy, and good governance.

He was of the view of reducing a ballooning trade deficit, poverty and lack of unemployment problems in the country and taking the country towards the path of prosperity. He took the time to give his words for systematizing the health insurance program launched by the government.

KATHMANDU, June 7: Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) Chairman Upendra Yadav has denied the reports disseminated through various media regarding his party’s possible immediate merger with Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Issuing a press release on Thursday, Yadav, who recently joined the government as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, said that serious attention of the party has been drawn towards the reports disseminated through different media and social media regarding party unification.

“Although the Central Working Committee meeting of FSFN held on May 4 had decided to unite the party with those having similar policy, ideology and principles, there is no possibility of unification with NCP immediately,” he said.

The press statement reads that there is no reality in the news disseminated in a planned manner with an intension of disseminating wrong message among the people.