Party insiders said senior RJPN leaders have grown suspicious after FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav has been deferring their negotiations to settle power-sharing deal in the provincial government, which is expected to be formed soon.

KATHMANDU, Jan 30: A serious mistrust and suspicion has surfaced between the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) lately as the left alliance has expedited backdoor negotiations with FSFN to form government in Province 2 with its support.
 
Party insiders said senior RJPN leaders have grown suspicious after FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav has been deferring their negotiations to settle power-sharing deal in the provincial government, which is expected to be formed soon. “Our party's senior leaders had called over telephone to sit for negotiations to settle power-sharing in the provincial government and assembly. But Chairman Yadav has reportedly asked to wait for some time,” said a senior RJPN leader, asking not to be named.

However, Chairman Yadav's Press Coordinator Mahesh Chaurasiya said the negotiation has been deferred as Chairman Yadav had to go outside Kathmandu. Chairman Yadav reached Biratnagar on Monday and will spend a few days in Saptari and Janakpur to attend various functions of his party.
 
RJPN has grown suspicious in the wake of the left alliance, which is set to form new government at the center and six of the seven provinces, stepping up backdoor negotiations with FSFN to form government with its support in Province 2. Chairman Yadav, according to sources, is waiting to see how the negotiations move forward with the UML as he is keen to be part of the UML-led government at the center.
 
Yadav has been publicly stating that his party is ready to join the new government if the left alliance promises to amend the constitution to address the party's demands. 

In the recently held parliamentary and provincial assembly polls, the two Madhes-based parties had formed electoral alliance in Province 2 with an understanding to form the provincial government of Madhes-based parties. While FSFN secured 29 seats, the RJPN likewise has secured 25 seats including 10 under the PR system. Besides three independent candidates, the UML and NC have won 21 and 19 seats, respectively.

A party requires 54 seats to form the provincial government in Province 2, which has 107 assembly members. As it is possible to form FSFN-led government even with the support of the UML, the RJPN leaders are suspicious that the FSFN could be in quiet negotiations to form government with UML support.
 
Earlier, the FSFN and RJPN had reached an informal understanding to form provincial government with the FSFN taking the chief minister's post and the RJPN taking the speaker. 

 
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