Kathmandu, September 15
The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal had wanted to field Bimal Shreevastav for the position of Mayor in Birgunj Metropolitan City of Parsa district. However, party’s presidium member Sharad Singh Bhandari used his veto to pick his favourite Rajesh Man Singh. The consequence: Shreevastav defected to the Nepal Democratic Forum and filed his papers for the mayoral race.
It has been learned that Bhandari had warned of quitting the party if Singh was not made the candidate. However, the pick does not seem so much impressive as the party looks weaker than others in the electioneering in the capital of Madhesh movement.
It has been four and half months since six Madhesh-centric parties merged to form the RJPN. However, the internal rift in the party is so wide that it may cost the party likely victory in many places including Birgunj.
The difference among leaders is very clear in front of voters. Influential leader of the party, Hridayesh Tripathi, is seen nowhere in the publicity campaign this time.
The story of Upendra Yadav-led Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal is also not different. Upendra Yadav and Renu Yadav have been dominant in the election campaigning. Party’s senior leader Ashok Rai has not been seen much. Almost all leaders representing western Terai are passive in the campaigning.
“In our party, the western Madhesh is a colony under eastern Madhesh,” a FSF-N leader who has been passive in party activities these days says, “The Chairperson never called us to take part in election campaigns.”
Bijay Kumar Gachhadar’s Nepal Democratic Forum is already weak in Province 2 as it was largely focused on regions dominated by Tharu population. Now, the party does not have much confidence to contest the polls as it could not perform well in Tharu-dominant districts including Jhapa, Morang anf Sunsari of east and Kailali and Kanchanpur of west.
Besides, its Vice-Chairman Rameshwar Raya Yadav, who hails from Sarlahi of Province 2, has recently left the party and joined CPN-Maoist Centre.
It is undisputed that the Madhesh-centric parties are not much strong in the heartland of Madhesh movement. But, election results which will be out next week will tell the degree of their weakness.
