The fate of local elections in the southern plains hangs in balance with the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) still undecided on its participation in the second round of vote scheduled for June 14.

The RJP-N, which had earlier claimed it would take a concrete decision on the 

poll participation on Wednesday, failed to reach a conclusion despite a marathon meeting between the six top members.

Even after the government has fulfilled most of the demands, the RJP-N leaders remained deeply divided over the matter, with one leader suggesting that the newly-formed party might announce a fresh round of protest on Thursday. 

“Many of the leaders, both at the central and local levels ,are against joining the polls until the amendment to the constitution. So the party is likely to announce a new round of protest programme tomorrow [Thursday],” said the leader, requesting  anonimity.  

Among the top leaders at the meeting, Rajkishor Yadav is learned to have asked the leadership to continue struggle to press the government for amendment proposal, while Rajendra Mahato is in favour of reviving struggle for the time being and join the polls as and when their demands were met.

However, other leaders Mahendra Raya Yadav and Sharat Singh Bhandari are against boycotting the polls, expressing fear that their constituencies would abandon them as poll fever has already gripped Madhes. 

Party Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Anil Jha have taken a neutral ground on the matter.

Things are getting complicated as the newly-formed party could be fractured further over the polls, according to leader Keshav Jha.

Defying objection from the main opposition UML, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal decided to add 22 new local units in the southern plains and turned 24 rural municipalities to municipalities besides declaring two new metropolises as demanded by the agitating Madhesi forces.

Earlier, the Dahal’s Cabinet had also decided to withdraw cases against leaders and cadres of Madhesi and Janajati forces caught during the Madhes and Tharuhat movements.

However, PM Dahal’s vehement attempts to make an amendment to the constitution failed to materialise after 10 lawmakers of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, a partner in the ruling coalition, went against the party’s position.

Things are getting complicated as the newly-formed party could be fractured further over the polls, according to leader Keshav Jha.

Boycotting vote may be counterproductive, warn observersAs the RJP-N remains a divided house over its participation in the second round of local polls scheduled on June 14, analysts have warned that an RJP-N move to walk out on the elections “at the behest of the international community”. 

“If Madhesi parties boycott the elections, there’s a risk of losing achievements they have gained so far. The leaders should join the local polls with the agenda of constitution amendment,” said Birendra Karna, secretary at the Nepal Bar Association Siraha Chapter, while suggesting that the protest should be continued simultaneously to mount pressure on the government. 

But others warn of further division in the Madhesi parties if all of them failed to reach a unified decision on the polls. 

Another political observer Madhusudhan Yadav said the RJP-N organisation of the RJPN is obviously weak after Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal decided to take part in the polls. “Boycotting the polls under pressure of the international community could jeopardise RJP-N’s existence,” said Yadav, a professor at the Siraha Campus.

Surya Kumar Yadav, professor at the Mahendra Morang Campus, also suggested that the Madhesi parties should join the elections to institutionalise the past achievements.

(Inputs for local correspondents from Morang and Saptari)

Party’s Saptari chapter for election boycott

Local leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJPN), an alliance of six Madhes-based parties, in Saptari district have urged the central leadership not to take part in the local level elections in the present political situation.

A meeting of the RJP-N Saptari committee on Wednesday decided to boycott the second phase of local polls scheduled on June 14. The meeting, where some of the RJP-N central leaders were in attendance, decided to mount pressure on the central leadership not to participate in the polls.

RJPN district Vice-chairman Niraj Mukti said that the meeting decided to boycott the elections as the participation in the polls without amending the constitution and restructuring the local units on the basis of population could be counterproductive. “We have sent a letter to the central leadership on the matter,” he added.

A Cabinet meeting on Monday decided to add 22 local units in 12 Tarai districts and give metropolis status to Biratnagar and Birgunj in a bid to bring the protesting Madhesi parties on board the election process.

“Madhes movement has been launched for the rights in which many Madhesi people attained martyrdom. Why should we participate in the elections as our demands have not been addressed?” asked RJP-N central leader Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav.