Kathmandu, December 21

Leaders of the Upendra Yadav-led Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Mahantha Thakur-led Rastriya Janata Party Nepal have said they will initiate dialogue for the unification of the two parties very soon.

Member of presidium of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal Rajendra Mahato said electoral alliance between the RJP-N and the FSF-N helped them win majority of provincial assembly seats in Province 2 and the fresh mandate also gave the message that people wanted unity between the two parties.

“Our priority should be unification of the RJP-N and the FSF-N, but if we cannot unify immediately then we should continue to be partners of the Madhesi alliance in Province 2 where we command a comfortable majority,” Mahato said.

He said the government of Province 2 would have to fight a battle with the federal government to win the rights of Madhesis and marginalised sections and therefore, the RJP-N and the FSF-N needed to unite.

RJP-N leader Keshav Jha said unity talks between the two parties would start immediately after the top RJP-N leaders return to the capital from their constituencies.

Jha said there was no major difference between the two parties that could stall the unification process. “We have slight differences over the system of governance. The FSF-N champions directly elected presidential system whereas we advocate for parliamentary system. If the left alliance amends the constitution to change the system of governance, it will be easy for us to have one opinion on this issue,” he added.

FSF-N Chair Upendra Yadav said the two parties forged electoral alliance but unification could happen only when the two parties agreed on political ideology. “We champion the cause of democratic socialism, but the RJP-N’s ideology is yet not very clear. We want presidential system, but the RJP-N is for the parliamentary system. All these issues need to be sorted out,” he added.