Nepal Madhesi parties mull merger

Stunned by their humiliating defeat in the recently concluded elections, three Madhes-based parties of Nepal are considering to form a unified party.
Following a series of post-election talks and negotiations, Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum-Nepal led by Upendra Yadav, Terai Madhes Democratic Party led by Mahanta Thakur and Sadbhawana Party led by Rajendra Mahato have realised the need for merger.
"Now we are in the process of making a unified Madhesi party and discussions are going on among the three major Madhesi parties for that," Mahato told PTI.
"We have agreed, in principle, to merge, but issues relating to leadership modalities, name of the unified party, its manifesto, policies and structure of the party organisation are yet to be settled," Mahato said.

Meanwhile, Yadav said, "We have started discussion for making a unified Madhesi party, but its just beginning, and we have to go a long way before actually going for a merger.
"We have realised that we should unite for the greater rights and welfare of the Madhesi people," he added.

"If they join together they can become the fourth largest party with 27 seats in the Constituent Assembly," according to party sources.
During the first Constituent Assembly elections, the combined strength of the Madhesi parties was more than 80 seat and they were the fourth force. But now their strength has been reduced to less than half.

"The Madhesi parties lost the elections mainly due to the division among them and the tarnished image of some of the senior Madhesi leaders," observers point out.