MJF: Is Reconciliation Possible?

It is not like Bijay Gachhedar just became parliamentary party leader. That happened before Prachanda became Prime Minister. It was magnanimous of Upendra Yadav to have let Bijay Gachhedar become parliamentary party leader after the April 2008 election. But Upendra Yadav was still the senior most MJF member of the cabinet when Prachanda was Prime Minister. That same thing has to happen now when Madhav Nepal is Prime Minister. That is the only acceptable option.

Madhav Nepal played foul when he appointed Bijay Gachhedar Deputy Prime Minister. If someone from the MJF was going to be Deputy Prime Minister, that person was to be the party president Upendra Yadav.

Girija Koirala and Madhav Nepal decided to make Bijay Gachhedar Deputy Prime Minister against the norms of parliamentary democracy. Their goal has been to bring about a vertical split in the MJF. And Bijay Gachhedar has been playing into their hands, very willingly so. The MJF leaders and cadres must realize this.

The best thing would be for the MJF to not split. But right now the ball is in Bijay Gachhedar's court. In a reconciliation move, Bijay Gachhedar can keep his current ministry, but the Deputy Prime Ministership has to go to Upendra Yadav, the duly elected party president.

1. Bijay Gachhedar resign from the current cabinet.
   
2. Upendra Yadav and MJF central committee, withdraw action against Gachhedar and others.
   
3. MJF central committee, decide to participate in the Madhav Nepal government in Upendra Yadav's leadership, with Yadav becoming DPM, and Gachhedar getting a powerful ministry.
   
4. Seek a better geographical balance for MJF participation in the new cabinet.
   

This is how it has to happen if it has to happen.

Or maybe it is time for a national unity, all party government under Prachanda's leadership. The MJF should participate in that national unity government under Upendra Yadav's leadership.

The Maoists are twice as big as either the UML or the NC, so it only makes sense they get to have a second shot at it.

I have become suspicious of the UML's and the NC's commitment to federalism.

The MJF Drama
MJF Will Emerge Stronger
I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government
The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament
MJF: No Harm Done
Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government
MJF: Upendra Yadav Is The Leader
Prachanda's Offer To Yadav, Then To Koirala
MJF: That Other Winner Of The April 2008 Election
Prime Minister Upendra Yadav?
After Tharu Movement, Dalit, Muslim And Women's Movements
Unification Of Madhesi Parties
Madhesi Movement: Next Phase

In The News

MJF rival factions in internal discussions on future moves NepalNews Gachchhadar, Sarad Singh Bhandari and other supporters met at Gachchhadar's residence for discussion while party chairman Upendra Yadav, vice chairman Jaya Prakash Gupta and others are also in separate discussion to chart out protest programmes against the government. ..... Gachchhadar........ met with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal earlier today to discuss strategies after his expulsion from the party.
TMLP decides to join govt Terai Madhesi Loktantrik Party (TMLP), which had announced its support to the UML-led coalition, has decided to join the cabinet. A meeting of the party's central committee took this decision Saturday. The party also demanded two ministerial portfolios along with one minister of state. A team of senior party leaders will select the ministerial candidates, leaders said. The party had not decided whether to join the government even after declaring support to the new coalition government. In the past few days, TMLP leadership had skipped a number of power-sharing meetings in the wake of internal dispute within the coalition partners.
Dahal to call for national unity govt
To reiterate commitment to multiparty democracy, peace process Republica Dhahal is preparing a political document emphasizing national consensus and the need for a national unity government, and reiterating his party’s commitment to multiparty democracy. ....... will unambiguously reiterate the commitment to multiparty democracy, writing the constitution in time and taking the peace process to a logical conclusion ...... a national unity government under the leadership of the Maoist party to write the constitution in time and to hold another general election ...... ........ The Maoist party hasn’t held its general convention for the last 18 yearswill take on the so-called hardliners harshly if necessary
Pressure for reconciliation in MPRF builds Leaders and cadres of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) have exerted pressure on the party´s leaders Upendra Yadav and Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar to reconcile. ...... On Saturday, a group of 25 Constituent Assembly (CA) members put pressure on the two leaders to give up their respective stances to pave the way for unity in the party. ........ Both the leaders have communicated their stances on reconciliation through emissaries. ....... The party establishment led by Yadav conveyed to Gachchhadar that the later should resign from the post of deputy prime minister as a first step for reconciliation. But Gachchhadar replied that Yadav should first revoke the expulsion of the seven party leaders, including himself, from the party. ......... Yadav on Friday said that an emergency CC meeting decided on the action against the seven leaders. ......... both the leaders have faced “tremendous” pressure from leaders and cadres from the districts not to break up the party. ...... central leaders have started coming to Kathmandu to avert a party split. “We are expecting a CC meeting in a day or two to discuss the crisis in the party” .... On Friday, Yadav said that he had the support of 28 CA members, meaning a majority of CA members are with him. ...... The Interim Constitution and Constituent Assembly regulations says that the 27 CA members from MPRF cannot be stripped of their membership even if Yadav expels them from the party
Forum row puts cabinet expansion in limbo "Even those friends who were expected to be inducted into the cabinet are now in trouble. Therefore, we are in a wait-and-see situation over finalizing portfolio allocation," said Yuvaraj Gyawali, secretary of CPN-UML. ...... Following NC-UML agreement, leaders were planning to intensify talks with other parties and to share the ministries at once. "But, the division in the MPRF made the situation confused," Gyawali said.
TMDP to join government; RPP meeting underway
NC, UML yet to decide all portfolios
Gachchhadar's appointment rocks party, govt
DPM greeted with black flags
Yadav asks PM not to recognize Gachchhadar's list
Bhandari rules out PLA's integration into NA
Dahal regrets making Nepal a CA member

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MJF Will Emerge Stronger

MJF expels Gachchhadar, six other leaders; withdraws support to govt; split looms NepalNews Upendra Yadav announced that the central committee meeting of the party held this morning decided to terminate parliamentary party leader Gachchhadar, who was appointed as the deputy prime minister on Thursday, Sarad Singh Bhandari, party spokesperson Jitendra Dev, Rameshowr Raya and Upendra Jha, among others. ...... Yadav also announced withdrawal of support to the UML-led coalition government and one-day general strike in all Terai districts on Monday. ....... He blamed Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala for plotting to divide the party. ...... supporters of party chairman Yadav and Gachchhadar clashed at the party central office. ...... Gachchhadar found the main door of the party office padlocked when he reached there to receive felicitations from his cadres. Gachchhadar ordered his cadres to break the door open, entered the party office and received felicitations. ...... Cadres supporting Yadav waved black flag to Gachchhadar as he was being garlanded. Yadav supporters also pelted stones at Gachchhadar's car when he was returning. ... Police had resorted to baton-charging to take the situation under control.
MJF on the verge of split
Take back withdrawal, expulsion decisions: Gachchhadar Republica parliamentary party of MPRF, of which he is the head, had decided to join the government despite Yadav´s opposition.

When Bijay Gachhedar says Upendra Yadav has been opposed to joining the Madhav Nepal government, he is lying. Upendra Yadav did explore other options duirng the recent political turmoil in the country like every other top political leader in the country, but the final decision had been that the MJF will join the government after all, but it will do so in Upendra Yadav's leadership, since he is the duly elected leader of the party.

Bijay Gachhedar went againt that party decision. The MJF would still have joined the government and Bijay Gachhedar would still have been a minister. But that was not enough for him. He had to become a pawn of Madhav Nepal and Girija Koirala who are hell bent on splitting up the MJF.

Mao discovered a long time ago that every time he expelled half the members of his central committee, his party doubled in size. That is what is about to happen to the MJF. The party's organizational base is about to grow by leaps and bounds. A party born out of a revolution can not be hurt by the smoke-filled room politics of a few Bahuns.

The Nepali Congress has no revival strategy. The MJF was one of the two victors of the election last year. It is going to emerge a bigger victor in the election next year.

The MJF has not split. A few people who should never have been brought into the party have been expelled.

Upendra Yadav should now put more trust in the leaders born out of the two Madhesi revolutions rather than hollow name politicians imported from other parties, especially the Nepali Congress and the UML.

I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government
The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament
MJF: No Harm Done
Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government
MJF: Upendra Yadav Is The Leader

MPRF withdraws support to govt Republica accusing Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of conspiring against Madhes and splitting the party. ..... Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and six other central leaders on the charge of conspiring against the party. .....Sarat Singh Bhandari, Jitendra Dev, Ramsaroop Raya, Ramjanam Chaudhari, Upendra Jha and Ratneswor Lal Goit. ..... Yadav accused Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Tarai-Madhes Loktantrik Party and Sadbhabana Party (Mahato) of splitting MPRF. ..... Yadav also announced that his faction would not work for another coalition with the Maoists. “We will be active as a responsible opposition now” ..... his party would use the street and Constituent Assembly to contribute to the constitution- drafting process and peace process. He also announced Madhes shutdown for Monday to protest the role of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in splitting the party...... Okil Musalman, a leader in the Gachchhadar-faction, said the decision to expel the seven leaders is unconstitutional as it was not decided by the central committee of the party. “Most of the central committee members are not in the capital today [Friday]” .... Gachchhadar is expected to organize a press conference later in the evening to make his position public.
DPM greeted with black flags Gachchhadar and his supporters were forced to flee the scene, claimed BP Yadav, a leader close to party chairman Yadav.

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