Rajbiraj, April 4

At a time when local election is round the corner, more than a dozen district level leaders and cadres have left the National Madhes Socialist Party led by Sharatsingh Bhandari in Saptari today.

Former NMSP central member and founding leader Bharat Prasad Sah, along with a dozen other district level leaders and cadres including party district vice-chairpersons Baiju Prasad Das and Bhagirath Prasad Sah, joint-secretary Lalan Prasad Yadav and district adviser Yugeshwor Sah announced their separation from the party through a joint press release today.

They have cited increasing opportunism, self-centrism and nepotism as the reasons for leaving the party. “As the party didn’t pay heed to our concerns regarding the good of the party, we didn’t have any option other than to leave the party for good to at least save our image and political future,” read the statement.

They are, however, yet to speak anything about their future political course. As mentioned in the statement, a decision to this effect will be taken through intensive discussion.

Meanwhile, NMSP central Secretary Gajendra Mandal expressed surprise at the leaders’ decision to quit the party. “There are issues in each and every party, but leaving the party altogether instead of resolving the issues together is unfortunate,” he said, denying charges the party has promoted nepotism and favouritism.