The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) passed the baton on to Mahendra Raya Yadav to head its presidium on Saturday after Rajendra Mahato completed his term at the helm. Yadav will officially take charge of the party on Sunday.

On November 20, the presidium meeting had decided to appoint the coordinator on a rotation basis among Mahato, Sharat Singh Bhandari, Mahendra Yadav, Raj Kishor Yadav, Mahantha Thakur and Anil Jha. Thakur had been at the helm of the presidium for five months between July last year—when the six Madhes-based parties merged to form the RJP-N—and until November 20 though the RJP-N charter stipulates that the presidium of six chairpersons of the former parties would take turns to coordinate the apex body every two months.

Saturday’s meeting chaired by Mahato decided to establish a Madhesi Martyrs’ Welfare Fund to support the families of the ‘martyrs’ who lost their lives during different movements. The meeting also decided to organise meetings of central observers in the districts to evaluate the ongoing membership distribution campaign as part of the party’s preparations for the unity national convention.