The three major Madhesi parties are in a resurgent mood. The internal wrangling inside the MJF is not the murmur before a split, that is the murmur before a new, heightened sense of unity and mission. The TMLP is in a major growth phase. Now that the Congress cadres in the Terai know that the best days of the Congress in the Terai are in the past, they are thronging to the TMLP in large numbers. The Congress no longer feels like the elephant in the room in the Terai. It is on its way to what happened to the Congress in India in Bihar and Utter Pradesh. A once mighty party ended up with a token presence in both those states.
There are those who are unhappy that former Congress leaders like Jaya Prakash Gupta, Bijay Gachhedar, Renu Yadav, and Sharad Singh Bhandari have kind of taken over the party. They need to understand that the MJF's primary tussle in the Terai for the April 10 elections was with the Congress, and so the MJF did what the TMLP tried to do, but did not succeed. Both parties tried their very best to win away Congress leaders, cadres and voters from the Congress. The MJF succeeded, but the TMLP only mildly succeeded. But then I expect the TMLP to do much better in the next parliamentary elections which will likely take place in less than two years from now.
That there are three or four Madhesi parties is not bad news. There will be competition and the people will benefit. That is how democracy works. I never felt bad that there are more than one Madhesi party in the ring. The more the merrier. The Madhesi people do not need to depend on any one party to fulfill their aspirations. If the Madhesi people feel the MJF is not being true to the cause, they might flock to the TMLP and the Sadbhavana, and vice versa. And that is good news. That is the beauty of democracy.
The demand of One Terai, One Province is a demand for geographic federalism. 40% of the people in the Terai districts are non-Madhesi. I think the Madhesi leaders should stop calling it One Madhesh, One Pradesh, instead they should say one Terai, one Pradesh. Madhesh denotes one cultural group, namely the Madheshi, Terai denotes all those living in the Terai, Madhesi, Tharu, Pahadi, Janajati.
Four geographical states of roughly equal areas might be a good idea for federalism in Nepal. I have been emphasizing that we retain the 75 districts.
In The News
Madhesi leaders step up 'one Madhes' rhetoric Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Nepal's Terai-based alliance warn of stir Zee News, India Rajendra Mahato, Minister for Commerce and Supplies, underlined that the Madhesis demands, including greater representation in the state structure, were still to be fulfilled. India provoking civil war in Nepal Terai: Maoist leader Telegraphnepal.com, Nepal “Our Prime Minister is not serious over the issues of nationalism, he turned out to become the prime minister of just only of the Pahadiya Community.” ..... “The Prime Minister is not at all serious about the Madhesi issues”. ..... “If Madhesi issues are not addressed properly, the split of Nepal as a nation state is inevitable”, said Mr. Yadav.
MJF internal wrangling delays House session, cabinet meeting Nepalnews.com, Nepal The MJF called the parliamentary party meeting to resolve the internal dispute after two thirds of its CA members submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister asking him to relieve all four MJF ministers from the cabinet.MJF parliamentary meet underway
YCL, YF must be dissolved: FM Yadav
TMLP withdraws support to govt
TMLP to announce agitation on Saturday
Single Madhes province is MJF’s ideal, says Yadav
Conflict growing within MJF
राजेन्द्र महतोसंग-04.01.09मधेशी दल, सरकारबीचको अविश्वास-03.01.09कुन्द दीक्षितसंग-24.12.08मोहन वैद्य किरणसंग-26.11.08प्रेसमाथि प्रहार वा मजदुरलाई मार-27.12.08
No comments:
Post a Comment