Kathmandu, September 30:

After failing to win recognition from the Election Commission (EC), Rajendra Mahato-led faction of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Anandidevi (NSP-A) announced a Madhes agitation today.

Rejecting the EC’s request to register itself as a new party yesterday, the faction demonstrated against the EC. Many activists of the group were detained, including Mahato. After the three-day meeting of its national working committee, the faction is all set to hold talks with other agitating factors in the Tarai for a “united and forceful peace Madhes Andolan”. To achieve this end, a Madheshi Andolan Coordination Committee has been formed under the leadership of Mahato. The committee has Laxman Lal Karna, Narshingh Chaudhari, Anil Kumar Jha and Sarita Giri as its members.

Speaking at the convention of the NSP-A in Birgunj on September 13, Mahato had urged all Maheshi people to unite and utilise the constituent assembly polls for their empowerment. Mahato had also issued a call to the armed groups in the Madhes to shun violence.

The Mahato faction has shown no interest in supporting the CA polls. The faction said in a press release today that it will rather focus on the agitation to “create a conducive political environment so as to resolve the Madhes conflict peacefully”.