Kathmandu, September 27

Former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, who quit the Unified CPN-Maoist party and the Parliament yesterday, told Sadbhawana Party Chair Rajendra Mahato that he wished to be part of the current movement in Madhes.

He also told Mahato that he quit the party for the emancipation of Madhesis. According to Mahato, in a telephonic conversation with him today, the former prime minister said the country was above the party and he quit the party to save the country.

Mahato, however, told Bhattarai that Madhesi people did not buy the reasons he was offering for quitting the party and the Parliament.

Bhattarai told Mahato that when he spoke in favour of Madhesis and Janajatis before the promulgation of the constitution, the leaders of the three major parties accused him of being anti-constitution and pro-India.

Bhattarai told Mahato that forces fighting for their rights needed to unitedly intensify the movement in Madhes (against the discriminatory provisions of the constitution).

Mahato said he told Bhattarai that the people of Madhes were saying that had he resigned from the Constituent Assembly before the promulgation of the constitution, that could have generated more pressure against NC President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Unified CPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal to halt the constitution-making process (to address the concerns of the agitating forces).

Bhattarai, however, said he chose to resign now in order to deflect the blame that he was against the constitution.

“Better late than never,” Bhattarai replied when Mahato repeatedly told him why he did not resign before.

Mahato said the United Democratic Madhesi Front had been imposing blockade from Mechi to Mahakali and would continue it until their demands were met.

According to disgruntled UCPN-M leader Ram Chandra Jha, Bhattarai will visit Janakpur on Wednesday to express his solidarity with the ongoing movement.

He said Madhesi UCPN-M leaders had asked the party leader not to observe Dipawali to celebrate the promulgation of the new constitution as it had curtailed the rights of Madhesis and Janajatis but he went ahead with his decision to celebrate the promulgation of the constitution.

Jha said Bhattarai heeded their call and now he has resigned from the party and the Parliament, to further boost the Madhes movement.

He will also visit Kailali soon. Jha said Bhattarai could play an instrumental role in championing the cause of Madhesis, Tharus and Janajatis and Madhesi leaders should not object to his joining the Madhes movement.

“As long as Madhesi leaders are committed to their cause, they should not be envious of any other leader who champions the cause of Madhes,” Jha said and added that Bhattarai could spell out his future plans from Janakpur.

Another disgruntled UCPN-M leader Ram Rijhan Yadav, who is close to Bhattarai said the former prime minister deeply felt that he should back the ongoing agitation.

According to Yadav, Pahadi community had not still understood the sentiments of Madhesi people who felt alienated and discriminated.

According to Yadav, Bhattarai has been telling his loyalists that if people from the hill community did not sympathise and support Madhesis’ genuine demands, Madhesis could choose a radical path which would be bad for the country.