Are The Maoists Anti-Madhesi?

Maoist eager to work with MJF: Dr Bhattarai his party was ready to join hands with the one-time archrival of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) in forming a new coalition government. ..... his party would also like to work with other Terai based parties like Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Sadbhawana Party. ...... Bhattarai denied the foremost demand of the Terai parties for a single Madhes province in a federal Nepal. .... MJF has emerged as the biggest regional party
MJF likely to give Maoists a hard time Himalayan Times Our cooperation with the Maoists will largely depend on how they address the issues of Madhes,” said MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav. He urged the Maoists to make their stance clear on the issues of autonomous Madhes, federal democratic republic, proportional representation of the Madhesis in all sectors and empowerment of the Madhesis, aboriginal nationalities, Dalits and all other marginalised groups. ...... “If they continue to tilt towards the extreme left, it will cause imbalance of power. This could affect the inter-party relations,” Yadav said, adding, “We have not yet decided on whether or not to join the government.” ...... President of the Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and TMDP leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla agreed with Yadav. “We will support the Maoists if they address our concerns, otherwise we will oppose them,” said Mahato. “We are going to help frame a new constitution, but will not be a part of the new government,” he added. ..... “We will resort to protests in the House and on the streets if the Maoists’ disposition towards the Madhes problem is not positive,” TMDP leader Shukla said. ...... “We still have serious differences with them (Madhesi parties). Their demands of one Madhes, one Prades and immediate proportionate recruitment of the Madhesis into Nepal Army are communal agendas. In the long run, these agendas can lead to the disintegration of the nation,” CP Gajurel

पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव

I am okay with either of the two maps above when it comes to federalism. But the real issue is not how you draw the map for federalism. The real issue is to make sure the one person, one vote principle is adhered to when it is time to decide on the power distribution between the center and the states. That will be the tricky part. The devil is in that detail.

The first map is a slight modification of the original Maoist map that had nine states. I have modified that to create a Khasan. But that first map goes for ethnic federalism. And I think that can get problematic. The second map goes for geographic federalism. I think the second map is better if you have rapid economic growth in mind for this poor country.

The question is, do you or do you not keep the 75 districts? I think it will be a bureaucratic nightmare to get rid of the 75 districts. That is a huge reason to stick to my proposal of four states, and 75 districts.

Almost half the people in the Terai are non Madhesi. Making all of Terai as one state should not be problematic. It would make great economic sense.

But then when the Maoists deny the idea of all of Terai as one state, and in the same breath go on to deny the idea of proportional representation of the Madhesis in the future Nepal Army, then you have to get suspicious of them. Those are anti-Madhesi sentiments. If you end up with a Pahadi army at the end of the peace process, that will not have been a peace process at all.

Madhesi Movement: Next Moves

As for the power distribution between the center and the states, I have talked about it here before.

पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव

My worst fear is that the Pahadis might create two states in the Terai and five or more states in the hills and then say each state should get 10 seats each in the Upper House. After that the Madhesh will be permanently colonized. Better a separate country than such a federalism.

The power distribution between the center and the states has to be based on the one person one vote principle.

In The News

Maoists' share in PR votes come down to 30 percent NepalNews of the total 84,53,565 votes counted till Friday, the Maoists have garnered 25,98,303 votes ...... Nepali Congress (NC) is in second place with 18,31,342 votes (21.66 percent) followed by the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) with 17,84,473votes (21.11 percent). ...... The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) is in fourth place with 4,51,634 votes (5.34 percent) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is in fifth place with 2,12,713 votes (2.52 percent). ..... Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) at 2,06,098 votes. ..... 10 million people had cast their votes
EC to announce PR results in about ten days will take additional four days to allocate the seats to the parties.
PM asks UML ministers to return to work
NC leaders to Maoists: Abide by past agreements for alliance only after the former rebels immediately stop "intimidation and violent activities" and fully abide by the past agreements and understandings can there be any working alliance between the two parties ...... He added that the future government should be formed in consensus of all parties, requesting that nobody should doubt the intention of the Maoists as the party has already come to peaceful politics and has gained popular mandate.
Maoist eager to work with MJF: Dr Bhattarai his party was ready to join hands with the one-time archrival of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) in forming a new coalition government. ..... his party would also like to work with other Terai based parties like Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Sadbhawana Party. ...... Bhattarai denied the foremost demand of the Terai parties for a single Madhes province in a federal Nepal. .... MJF has emerged as the biggest regional party

MJF likely to give Maoists a hard time Himalayan Times Our cooperation with the Maoists will largely depend on how they address the issues of Madhes,” said MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav. He urged the Maoists to make their stance clear on the issues of autonomous Madhes, federal democratic republic, proportional representation of the Madhesis in all sectors and empowerment of the Madhesis, aboriginal nationalities, Dalits and all other marginalised groups. ...... “If they continue to tilt towards the extreme left, it will cause imbalance of power. This could affect the inter-party relations,” Yadav said, adding, “We have not yet decided on whether or not to join the government.” ...... President of the Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and TMDP leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla agreed with Yadav. “We will support the Maoists if they address our concerns, otherwise we will oppose them,” said Mahato. “We are going to help frame a new constitution, but will not be a part of the new government,” he added. ..... “We will resort to protests in the House and on the streets if the Maoists’ disposition towards the Madhes problem is not positive,” TMDP leader Shukla said. ...... “We still have serious differences with them (Madhesi parties). Their demands of one Madhes, one Prades and immediate proportionate recruitment of the Madhesis into Nepal Army are communal agendas. In the long run, these agendas can lead to the disintegration of the nation,” CP Gajurel
Nepali Congress not to quit government over 10 central leaders, who attended today’s meeting, had claimed that the party suffered the most due to failure of the government to put in place an effective security arrangement to ensure free and fair election.
UML’s rider to join Maoist-led govt the UML will not join the Maoist-led government unless the CPN-Maoist “transforms as a non-military political outfit” like the UML and the NC. ....... We will support your government from outside. People are also eager to see how you run the administration ...... Prachanda had also insisted that Nepal should be part of the CA despite his defeat in polls because of his role in the peace process. ..... Prachanda and Bhattarai also met Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula and sought his cooperation in persuading the NC to join the new government.
Hurdles in declaring republic?