RJP-N to raise issue of development in third phase of local polls

Kathmandu, August 25

Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal leaders will raise development issues in the third phase of local polls, but will also make adequate references to its political struggle in the Parliament to amend the constitution.

Member of RJP-N Manifesto Drafting Committee Keshav Jha said the manifesto will prominently raise development issues, particularly the protection of the Chure range. “Madhes has been facing severe impacts of degradation of the Chure range so we will raise this issue,” Jha said and added that his party would also raise the issue of unemployment, dowry problems and compensation for those families who lost their properties in the recent floods. He also said the party would stress on its efforts to amend the constitution.

Another member of the Manifesto Drafting Committee, Jitendra Sonal, said the party would seek overwhelming support of voters during local polls in order to strengthen their prospects in provincial and general elections. “Winning maximum number of seats in the third phase of local polls will help us win more seats in the provincial and parliamentary elections,” Sonal said and added that if the RJP-N could win maximum number of seats, that could help the party win more seats in the Parliament and that could consequently increase the prospects of amending the constitution. “We were only nine per cent when the constitution was promulgated but when the voting on the constitution amendment bill took place, we proved that we had 64 per cent of votes in the Parliament supporting our cause. If voters in Madhes overwhelmingly support us, we will ensure passage of the amendment to the constitution next time,” he added.

Sonal said the party would make efforts to win all local levels where Madhesis are in majority.

Another member of the RJP-N Manifesto Drafting Committee Manish Kumar Suman said his party wanted the local levels to collect enough taxes that they would need to carry out development works. “We have given the slogan of autonomous Madhes provinces and to realise that goal we will also give the slogan of autonomous local levels,” Suman added. He said the manifesto will also give the slogan of developing religious heritage of Madhes such as Janakpur, Kapilvastu and Gadhimai. “We will also seek to give interest free loan to farmers. We will also seek a ban on foeticide,” he added.

Suman said the RJP-N would expose the CPN-UML for defeating the constitution amendment bill. Asked if the RJP-N would seek to forge poll alliance with any political party, Suman said the party was not in favour of forging any alliance with any major party. “We did not find any major party truly supporting our cause so there is no question of forging alliance with them. But if our local cadres forge any alliance with other parties at the local levels, they will be free to do that,” Suman said and added that the party decided to give power to local cadres to forge alliance at the local levels as local polls were more about issues related to local development.