Rautahat, August 24

Madhes Rastra Janatantrik Party (Revolutionary), an underground outfit operating in the plains, has formally been merged with Nepal Sadbhawana Party.

The merger was declared at a press conference in Rautahat district headquarters Gaur today.

MRJP(R) had its first table talk with the government on August 11 last year and has held three rounds of talks ever since.

Speaking at the conference, MRJP(R) chairperson Ranabir Singh hailed the merger and said the party would follow the path of peaceful politics. “From this day on, we’ve set out on the path of peaceful politics,” he said, adding that the party will henceforth commit to ensure the rights of Madhes and Madhesis.

“As the dialogue with the government is under way, around 90 party leaders and cadres who were arrested at different times will be released soon,” said Singh. NSP chairperson Anil Kumar Jha stressed the need of alliance among Madhes-based parties in order to get their agendas addressed. He pledged his party’s solidarity for the same.

He described Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s call for talks as perfunctory. “The invitation for dialogue is nothing but a clever ruse to distract the Madhesi parties, so it is better to be committed to the agitation than being influenced by the cheap offers,” he said.

Jha also revealed his party’s wish to cooperate with the Unified Democratic Madhesi Front which, he said, was foiled by a handful of leaders. “As that couldn’t happen, we have formed a separate United Madhesi Front by comprising six Madhes-based parties to launch an agitation,” he informed.