KATHMANDU, July 31

Seven Janajati parties have started forming an alternative political force by uniting all like-minded fringe political parties.

According to Pasang Sherpa, leader of Social Democratic Party, recent meetings of the eight parties including Rastriya Janamukti Party, Federal Republican Socialist Party, Khambuwan National Front, Federal Limbuwan Party, Indigenous Nationalities Party, Nepa Party, Tharuhat Party and Social Democratic Party have taken the initiative.

Currently, the parties have been working together as a front — Federal Alliance based on Identity.

The latest meeting of the fringe parties has formed a five-member task force to study and do homework on unification of these parties.

The task force includes Kumar Rai from Social Democratic Party, Gopal Dahit from Tharuhat Party, K P Palunga from Janamukti Party, R K Khambu from Khambuwan Front and Amar Dhoj Lama from Federal Republican Socialist Party.

Sherpa said the constituent parties would take necessary decision on unification from their respective parties within the next 15 days and then the next meeting would expedite discussions on the nitty-gritty of unification to develop an alternative national force that could counter the major parties.

The new party’s structure will be different from the existing national parties as the newly developed party will have stronger Pradesh committees.

Sherpa said the new party will also include other like-minded parties and fronts including religious forces, Dalit and Madhesi fronts and organisations as well.

The Padma Ratna Tuladhar led Indigenous Nationalities National Movement (INNM) Nepal has been supporting the unification of fringe parties lobbying for identity-based federalism.

Meanwhile, a meeting of INNM scheduled for tomorrow is expected to come up with stern protest programmes.

According to Dr Om Gurung, INNM spokesman, the INNM was maintaining restraint with peaceful protests, but now the indigenous nationalities of the country are upset and they will counter the provisions of the draft constitution and the statements of the leaders.

Gurung commented that the initiative taken by the fringe Janajati parties to form a national party was a good starting point.