MJF sets its political ideology the convention decided to broaden the party scope by distributing membership to people from hilly districts, adding that his party will make efforts for unification of all Madhes based parties.A unification of the Madhesi parties is an idea whose time has come. The five Madhesi parties have to come together and start having national ambitions. The April 10, 2008 election results should be the basis for the unification.
- Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF)
- Terai Madhesh Loktantric Party (TMLP)
- Sadbhavana Party (SP)
- Nepal Sadbhavana Party
- Dalit Janajati Party
NameI think Nepali Janadhikar Forum would be an apt name for the unified party.
Party President
Upendra Yadav is the obvious name. He leads the largest party, that's why. That is the democratic way.
Central Secretariat: 11 Members
The leaders of the five parties would be members. Six others from the two largest parties would also come in, perhaps four from the MJF, and two from the TMLP.
Central Committee: 33 Members
11 Secretariat members would be in. That leaves 22 seats. Those 22 seats have to be divided among the five parties based on how many votes they earned on April 10, 2008.
District Committees: 21 Members
The vote earned by a party in a particular district should decide how many seats it will get on that district committee.
Village/Town Committees
The same for the local level committees.
Growing In The Hills
The party then has to aim to grow in all 75 districts. For that a clear national agenda is needed.
National Convention
Once it has district committees in all or most of the 75 districts, the party has to hold its first national convention. I hope that can happen within a year from now.
National Agenda
- Geographic, not ethnic federalism.
- Four states: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Terai.
- Retain the 75 districts.
- Direct elections for president. Second round between the top two candidates if no one candidate gets at least 50% of the vote.
- 75 multi member constituencies for the lower house.
- Completely proportional elections for the upper house with the entire country as one constituency. At least every other name on a party's list must be female.
- Unicameral legislatures in the four states. Component districts as multi member constituencies. The unicameral legislature elects a Chief Minister.
- Turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties.
- What Shape Federalism?
- CPN (Maoist) To CPN (Deng)?
- Madhesi Movement: Next Phase
- Transition Challenges
- Meeting Ground Between Congress And Maoists: 75 Multi Member Constituencies
- Mantra: Economic Revolution
- Proposed Constitution
The Maoists wish to go for ethnic federalism, and they wish to get rid of the 75 districts. Both those ideas have to be countered. It is in countering those two ideas that the One Terai, One State idea will be realized, and it is in countering those two ideas that the NJF can hope to become a truly national party with a presence in all or most of the 75 districts.
That NJF could do really well in the elections to be held after the country gets itself a new constitution.
Staying In Government
I think it would be important for the NJF to stay in government. The Maoists did win the April 10 elections. They deserve to lead. That is the mandate.
But the NJF has to work to get the NC and the UML behind the geographic federalism idea. And then the Maoists. If the Maoists don't come to the idea even after the NC and the UML have, at that point a NC-UML-NJF government can be thought of.
In The News
Five-party taskforce to decide on local bodies NepalNews
PM Dahal meets Koirala
PM refutes his party's hand in Uma Singh's murder
Sadbhavana Party also threatens stir "We are feeling the need to activate the UDMF again," said SP chief and Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato ..... the SP will launch the stir if the government does not show seriousness to fulfill the understanding within next one month. ...... The UDMF includes TMLP, SP and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF). SP and MJF are partners in the current ruling coalition.
UML gen secy blames Maoists, NC for country’s mess senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said the Home Minister looks seemingly helpless in safeguarding his party activists from repeated attacks by Maoist affiliated YCL cadres. .... He also called for strict action against PLA and YCL cadres who have been engaging in violent activities across the country.
CA committees to hold joint discussion
Pokhara shut down following clashes Industries, transportation and market places remain shut in Pokhara after ANNFSU deployed its cadres across the town for strike. .... The All Nepal National Independent Student Union Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) aligned 21 students, ANNFSU-aligned six students and six police personnel were injured on Wednesday's clash. The office of the Free Student Union has been vandalised and 15 motorbikes were burnt. .... the UML affiliated student group also organised out a rally in Kathmandu and announced that protests would go across the country
MJF Re-elects Yadav as President Himalayan Times JP Gupta (Saptari), Sharat Singh Bhandari (Mahottari), Renu Yadav (Saptari), Ram Sahaya Yadav (Bara), Lal Bau Raut (Parsa), Dr Tilak Rawal (Kathmandu), Asha Chaturbedi (Parsa), Jitendra Narayan Dev (Saptari), Bharatendra Mallik (Jhapa), Ram Lal Sopihar, Khalid Siddiki (Siraha), Bijay Kumar Gupta (Siraha), Chandrika Roy Yadav (Rupandehi), Ratneswor Goit (Dhanusha), Sanjay Kumar Shah (Dhanusha) and Rabindra Thakur (Mahottari)...... Ganesh Yadav (Rautahat), Jaya Prakash Yadav (Siraha), Rabindra Yadav (Sarlahi), Abdul Jabbar (Rautahat), Rameshor Roy Yadav (Sarlahi), Nasir Siddiki (Kathmandu), Mohammad Istiyak Raien (Banke), Ramjanam Chaudhary (Kathmandu), Arasi Yadav, Upendra Jha (Kathmandu), Rajeswori Jayasawal (Rautahat), Kabuli Paswan, Jipsi Chaudhary (Dhanusha), Ratneshor Kayastha (Kathmadnu) and Sahasaram Yadav ........ a five-member disciplinary committee comprising of Dr Shivaji Yadav (Mahottari), Sitaram Agrawal (Banke), Mukesh Kumar Singh (Chitwan), Yogendra Sahani (Parsa) and Ramewhor Shah (Kathmadnu).
Yadav reelected MJF chairman, 31-member CWC formed Kantipur "The enemies and elements who want to see split in the MJF won't be able to sleep tonight," said Yadav ...... Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Renu Yadav, Jitendra Narayan Dev, Sarat Singh Bhandari, Dr Tilak Rawal, Ram Jana Chaudhari, Upendra Jha, Ram Sahaya Yadav and Ratneshwor Goit have been announced for the party central committee. ....... Mohamad Istiyak Rai, Nashir Siddiqi, Abdul Jabbar, Lalbabu, Raut, Khalid Siddiqi, Rameshwor Raya Yadav ..... Bhartendu Mallik, Vijaya Kumar Yadav, Jaya Prakash Yadav, Sanjaya Kumar Sah, Rabindra Thakur, Rabindra Yadav, Ganesh Yadav, Chandrika Yadav, Ratneshwor Lal Kayastha, Sahasram Yadav, RC Yadav and Kabuli Paswan ......... Asha Chaturbedi, Rajeshwori Jayaswal and Jibachi Chaudhari ....... There are also accusations that the party leadership is dominated by Yadavs in caste and eastern part in region.
MJF chief authorised to pick new central committee NepalNews JP Gupta as co-president, Bijaya Gachhadar as senior leader and Sharat Singh Bhandari as general secretary of the MJF. ..... Following his election, leader Bijaya Gachhadar proposed that the president be authorised to pick the new CWC, which was approved by the closed session of the convention. .... 149 candidates for the committee of 30 positions.
Double digit growth will be reality, says NRB governor
Babban says Maoist lawmaker behind journo murder
Constitutional Committee consults experts
Parties nearing consensus on local bodies United CPN (Maoist) will have 22 seats for chairman and vice chairman in District Development Committees out of 75 districts. Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) will have 17 seats each for chairman and vice chairman of the DDC. ...... Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) will have seven seats ...... Maoists will lead 17 municipalities and NC and UML will lead 12 municipalities each. MJF will get five and CPN (ML) is likely to occupy two. ....... the parties failed to decide on leadership of the Village Development Committee
Yadav unanimously elected MJF chief More than 300 candidates announced to contest for the 31-member central committee. Around 1,300 representatives will cast their votes .... elected president will name vice president, general secretary, secretary and treasurer of the party.
5 comments:
Paramendra,
I liked Your idea of geography based states. However don't you see a big flaw in your idea about the way states are divided. You are opting Pahad and Himal to have 3 states and Terai as one. Himal and Pahad has 52% population. With in it, Himal has just 4 % and Pahad has 48% which equal to that of Terai. Having 48% population of Terai as one state will make Terai the biggest and dominating Political division. Do we really want Terai to be the dominant and other three to be just a meger follower of what Terai says. I think it would be wise to have 2 states in Terai,and incorporate Chitawan in Gandaki State. Have One Terai state east of Chitwan and another Terai State West of Chitwan. Chitwan should be incorporated into Pahad to balance population wise division among the states and also because it is Inner Madhesh and majority of people are Pahadis. In my opinion, having one Terai state will be of having a opinion to dominate Pahad as Pahad used to dominate Terai in the past.
Hrishikesh Adhikari
Dear Parmendra jee and Hrishikesh jee,
See, it is not the MJF, or NJF wanting one madhesh, but it is the madheshi majority wanting one madhesh. The parties cannot challenge the demands of the madhesis because, i think they are as sovereign as other nepali people. The constitution guarantees the sovereignty of the ppl. therefore, the parties must align their strategy to support the peoples demand, than to counter it. I think parties are created for the reason to push forward the peoples desire, than to counter it, and try to impose anything on them.
Now coming to the question of dominition. Why are u afraid of madheshi dominating pahad? It is upto you not to divide pahad. You can also claim one pahad & himal - one state. Carry on.
If the madhesis want one madhes, manifest their dignity, why on earth would the inhabitants of pahad like to impose the division? Want to rule again?
Regards,
Bal KRishna Jha
Dear Bal Krishna Jha Ji
I was born in west Terai live in Terai and Consider my self to be of Terai. My link with pahad is my grandparents were from Pahad and madesh and Pahad both belong to Nepal. I am not in favour of One madhesh one pradesh agenda because of the following reasons.....
1. Terai has 48% of population. Lets try to distribute more or less comparable population among the states.
2. Terai has ethnic diversity. East with Maithali Bhojburi ... and west with Tharus. Pahadis are present in all Terai districts. Some ethnic groups consider themselves to be Madhesis and some don't. How to define madhesis? Is it just because they live South of Chure range or is it just because they speak Maithaili, Bhojpuri or Awadhi. Both the definition does not completely satisfy the identity of people of Terai. Tharus, no dout are the natives of the land. Why are they not considering themselves as Madhesis. I am from west and I know how different their culture and language is from the people who call themselves madhesis in west. I don't see much cultural similarities between Tharus of west and Maithalis and Bhojpuris of of east.People who consider themselves as Madhesis want whole Terai to be one state and Tharus don't want to be a part of it as they feel they will be dominated by others as they have been in the past.
3. To avoid ethnic conflicts let states be divided in geographic basis as it is not possible to form 101 states for 101 ethnic groups. but to avoid cultural domination let the district government be given rights to maintain and safeguard languages, cultural rights and practices of that that particular districts so that someone of different ethnic group does not dictate about the cultural practices of other ethnic group.
4. Nepal does not need many states as maoist have suggested. Let all states be economically comparable. I think making terai as one state will create economic misbalance and other states being to dependent on Terai. This may cause further political crisis among the states.
Hrishikesh Adhikari
There are many rational reasons against the so called 'One Madhesh-One Pradesh'. As Adhikarijee has already mentioned most of them, I don't want to repeat. Comments like "It is upto you not to divide pahad. You can also claim one pahad & himal - one state. Carry on." sound too pathetic. Terai is almost as diverse as Nepal. So this 'one madhesh-one pradesh' is not federalism, it is unitarianism or what Nepal now is. You call you are fighting against one injustice but want to impose the same injustice onto others. This 'one--' whatever will be a fodder for new fightings inside Terai. No one can deny that Terai has been a victim since long. Fighting injustice to gain your rights is one thing, playing victim hood to the level of threatening others is another thing.
And any nation (its central government) has right to prevent any possibility of secession. I think most of those who are demanding 'One---' are very sensible and don't have secession in their mind but the division in this way is sure to raise secessionist dreams in some, if not now, in not so far future. You may call this 'pahade mentality' or whatever, I don't care. Federalist messiah US saved its territory even by going into civil war.
It is interesting to see non-stop change in Paramendrajee's birth day cake called 'Nepal'. It had three colors of Koshi-Gandaki-Karnali once, during the Terai movement it became 'One Madhesh and others'. Immediately after the CA elections, it had two colors for the Terai region.
तराईमा मधेस र थारुवान गरी दुई राज्य हुन सक्छन्
७५ िजल्ला कायम राख्दै चार भौगोिलक राज्य कोशी, गण्डकी, कर्णाली र तराई स्थापना गर्ने भनेर मैले भन्दै अाएको छु। तर नेपाली जनताले माअोवादी पार्टीलाई िदएको ठुलो मात्राको मत देख्दा त्यस बारे िवचार गर्नु पर्ने मैले बुझेको छु।
अब मेरो प्रस्ताव यस प्रकारको छ। ७५ िजल्ला कायम राख्ने र अाठ राज्यको स्थापना गर्ने: खसान, मगरात, तम्बुवान, तामाङ, नेवा, िकरात, थारुवान, र मधेस।
राप्ती नदीभन्दा पश्िचम मधेसी पार्टीहरूले बाँकेमा दुई सीट िजतेको देिखयो फोरमले। अाफ्नो मास बेस नै नभएको क्षेत्रमा पिन अाफ्नै नक्शा लाद्ने प्रयास शायद उपयुक्त नहोला। बरू राप्ती पुर्वका सबै तराई िजल्लाहरू िमलाएर एउटै समग्र मधेस राज्यको स्थापना बढी उपयुक्त होला िक?
मुख्य झगडा नक्शाको होइन, मुख्य झगडा शक्ित बाँडफाँडको हो। राष्ट्रपितको प्रत्यक्ष िनर्वाचन हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? उपल्लो सदनकालािग दलीय पुर्ण समानुपाितक िनर्वाचन हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? तल्लो सदनकालािग ७५ िजल्लालाई ७५ बहुसदस्यीय िनर्वाचन क्षेत्र (पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव) बनाइन्छ िक बनाइँदैन? नेपाल सेनामा मधेसी समुदायको समानुपाितक प्रितिनिधत्व हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? अडान िलनुपर्ने कुराहरू ती हुन्।
(From the post of April 19, 2008).
Now you are for 'One madhesh and others' again. What next bro? I am aware that you are using 'Terai' instead of 'Madhesh'. But that doesn't make any difference.
Dear Basant jee and Hrishikesh jee,
I do not personally favour unitary rule. I wish, I had a state of my own! My house and village be called one state, and I/we (collectively) could exercise our control over the people in my small 'region'. But I know, my wishes are not popular, and hence it cannot be pursued.
However, if the madhesis want to live together and exercise their unity to strengthen themselves, how can others say that this is not good for them? You think that they are not matured and they need to be guided and hence imposed for matters very very specific to them? I dont understand your logic. I doubt it is coming out of insecurity and fear of getting marginalized!
But to add again to your points, I would be really a democratic process, once we push a referendum regarding this "one ..." in the ppl of madhesh including tharu.
Is the views of non-madhesis more audible than the strongest tool of democracy - the referendum?
Regards,
BKJ
Post a Comment