RJP Nepal registers with EC to take part in local polls

Nepal's Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, a key Madhesi party, today registered with the Election Commission for the provincial and parliamentary elections to be held next month.
The disgruntled Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJP-N) recently decided to take part in the local level polls to be held on September 18 after the Constitution amendment bill tabled in the Parliament failed to get through as it could not garner required two third majority votes.
The party had boycotted the first and second phase of local-level elections, expressing reservation to taking part in the polls without having their demands being fulfilled.
The local-level polls are being held in Nepal for the first time in almost two decades. Millions of Nepalese voted in the first two phases of the polls as the Himalayan nation takes a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil.

A team led by party coordinator Mahatha Thakur registered the party at the Election Commission after submitting required legal documents yesterday, the party said in a statement.
The Commission had set August 27 the deadline for the political parties to get registered.

According to the Election Commission, 56 political parties have been registered so far and RJP-N was the 55th to register.
The team also held discussions with Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav and other commissioners regarding the polls to be held in the Province 2. They also discussed the upcoming Federal and Provincial polls announced for November 26.

Following the discussions, leader Rajendra Mahato briefed reporters that the party was registered as per its decision to participate in the upcoming elections.
Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Some Madhes-centric parties opposed the elections on the ground that the new Constitution be amended to accommodate their views: more representation in the Parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries.
Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the community.