As Nepali politics gets increasingly polarised between republicans and royalists—particularly following the recent attempts of pro-monarchists to revive the Hindu Kingdom—regional parties seek unity to bolster their influence in central politics.

Amid a heated political climate, the Janamat Party and the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) have taken major strides towards unification between the two regional forces that emerged from the 2022 general elections.

A task force comprising leaders from both parties held a two-day meeting in Rajapur, Bardiya, where they agreed in principle for the merger. While some details are still being discussed, leaders have confirmed that key policy issues have been settled.

The party unification meeting in Bardiya was also attended by Janamat Chairman CK Raut and Rasham Chaudhary, and Ranjita Shrestha, the patron and chair of NUP, respectively.

The new forces are inching closer to a merger just a couple of days after traditional Madhesh-based forces formed a Federal Democratic Front.

On Thursday, the Front was announced in Kathmandu, with Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party-Nepal, Rastriya Madhesh Samajbadi Party-Nepal, Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, Tamang Liberation Party, and Janata Pragatisheel Party as members.

Though Janamat and NUP had signed a 12-point agreement on January 8, 2023, to collaborate following the 2022 general elections, their work had stalled. They have now revived the initiative.

“Most issues have been resolved. We are now in the final stage of discussions and will announce the merger in a few days,” said Abdul Khan, vice-president and head of the unification task force of the Janamat Party .

As per the tentative agreement, NUP patron Chaudhary will retain his role as the patron of the unified party. Raut, the Janamat chair, will assume leadership of the newly formed entity. Ranjita Shrestha, the current NUP president, has been proposed to be the third-in-command, although she said her role is “yet to be finalised”.

“The task force members are still negotiating on the leadership structure,” Shrestha told the Post.

The task force earlier finalised the NUP’s dhakiya as its election symbol.

There has been discussion on appointing chairpersons from both parties, but a final decision has yet to be reached, a task force member from the NUP said.

In-depth discussions remain to be held on the allocation of positions, such as the parliamentary party leader and those on provincial and district committees, said an NUP task force member on the condition of anonymity. “However, our discussion is positive, and we will announce the party's unification soon.”

Leaders of both parties said the announcement of unification will come latest by April 16.

Khan, however, said that barring some clauses of the party statute and internal guidelines, “almost everything has been agreed upon”.

They plan to register the unified party with the Election Commission once the central committees of both sides endorse the documents.

In late March, the NUP central committee formed a unification task force led by lawmaker Gangaram Chaudhary, with Sunita Chaudhary and Ramlal Dagaura as members. Meanwhile, Janamat’s central committee meeting held in Bardibas, Mahottari, on March 9 constituted its task force headed by Abdul Khan, with Sharad Singh Yadav and Bal Govinda Chaudhary as members.

Currently, Janamat Party holds six seats in the House of Representatives and leads the Madhesh provincial government, while the NUP has four seats in the House.

Both parties are grappling with internal issues. Conflict between President Ranjita Shrestha and her husband, party founder Resham Chaudhary, have caused divisions in the NUP.

Similar discontent is brewing within the Janamat Party, where some members have expressed dissatisfaction with CK Raut’s leadership style.

Janamat and NUP emerged from grassroots movements and have become regional forces. While Janamat’s support is concentrated in the Madhesh Province, NUP has a strong following in the Tharu community of western Nepal.