Kathmandu January 23

Attempts to forge an electoral alliance for the National Assembly election between the left alliance (CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre) and Madhes-based parties (Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal) failed after the left alliance could not assure Madhes-based parties of constitution amendment.

Madhes-based parties had asked the UML to agree on constitution amendment as per a report of the high-level State Restructuring Commission submitted to the government in 2012.

UML leader Agni Kharel said the left alliance had committed to amending the constitution on the basis of ‘rationale and necessity’, but Madhes-based parties rejected the idea.

“The constitution has already entered the implementation phase after the local, provincial and parliamentary elections. So we can amend the constitution only on the basis of constitutional provisions,” Kharel told THT. “We cannot alter the provincial boundaries as sought by the report.”

The commission had submitted two reports to the government in 2012 after members of the commissions were divided on the number of provinces.

A faction of the commission, led by its Coordinator Madan Pariyar and including Stella Tamang, Malla K Sundar, Bhogendra Jha, Krishna Hachhethu and Surendra Mahato, had submitted a report proposing 11 states: Limbuwan, Kirat, Tamsaling, Newa, Narayani, Tamuwan, Magarat, non-geographic state for Dalits, Karnali-Khaptad, Madhes-Mithila-Bhojpura and Madhesi-Awadh-Tharuwan.

The faction including Ramesh Dhungel, Sabitri Gurung and Sarbaraj Khadka had submitted another report proposing six provinces with names to be decided by the Parliament.

RJP-N General Secretary Manish Suman said the Madhes-based parties decided not to forge an electoral alliance with the leftist parties after the latter could not assure constitution amendment.

Had they forged a working alliance, leftist and Madhes-based parties would have had two-thirds majority in the Parliament required to amend the constitution.

“We have been demanding constitution amendment on the basis of State Restructuring Commission’s report,” Suman told THT.

He added that the Madhes-based parties had been stressing the need to amend the constitution in a way that would address demands of Madhesis, indigenous people, Tharus and suppressed communities.

Another reason for failure to forge an electoral alliance between the leftist and Madhes-based parties was differences among Madhesi leaders. Some of the leaders wanted an alliance with the Nepali Congress, while others were for an alliance with leftists.

However, since the majority of leaders wanted an alliance with the NC, they took a decision to align with the NC.

According to a source, Madhesi leaders who came from a communist background wanted to forge alliance with the left alliance, while those with democratic background wanted an alliance with the NC.

FSF-N Chairman Upendera Yadav, leaders Ashok Rai and Rajendra Shrestha and RJP-N leaders Mahendra Ray Yadav were

in favour of aligning with the left alliance, while RJP-N Coordinator Mahantha Thakur and leader Rajendra Mahato were in favour of tying up with the NC, the source said.

The left alliance had promised five seats in the National Assembly election in Province 2 to Madhes-based parties, but they agreed to four seats with the Nepali Congress.

“We had given five seats to them and UML and CPN-MC had decided to share three seats,” CPN-MC leader Matrika Yadav told THT.