The four major Madhesi parties -- Upendra Yadav-led Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Nepal (MPRF-N), Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar-led MPRF-D, Rajendra Mahato-led Sadbhavana Party (SP), and Mahanth Thakur-led Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP) -- have picked their candidates from marginalized communities. [break]
Speaking to Republica, SP General Secretary Manish Suman said his party is set to propose Muslim, women, Dalit, Tharu and others as candidates. "We will propose nine Muslim candidates from Morang, Saptari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Parsa, Kapilvastu, Banke, and Kaski under first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system," said Suman, adding that they will also propose a dozen Tharu candidates.
He further said that they will propose 10 Dalit candidates for various constituencies. "We have also proposed a otal of 20 women candidates under both the electoral systems," Suman further said. He maintained that they have also selected candidates of hills-origin. SP is the only Madhesi party which is planning to contest the elections in all 240 constituencies under FPTP.
The Madhesi parties have however yet to make public the namelist of candidates. But source inside MPRF-N said that their party has proposed seven Muslim candidates under FPTP. "Mohd Istiyak Rai from Banke, Dr Abdul Khan from Kapilvastu, Basi Uddin Khan and Fakruddin Khan from Rupandehi, Karima Begam from Parsa, Dr Khalid Hussain from both Sunsari and Morang, and Phariyad Ahmed from Morang will contest the election under FPTP," the source confirmed.
He further said that they have proposed five candidates from Tharu community, and five Dalit candidates. "We will ensure 33 percent candidacy from women under both the FPTP and Proportional Representation (PR)."
Insisting that they don´t have anyone influential person for recommendation as Muslim candidate, a senior TMDP leader said, "Possibility of our party recommending Muslim candidates is very slim. The number of competent Muslim leaders in our party is insignificant." He further said that the party has finalized the names of candidates, but the names would be made public only after a few days. TMDP has seven Muslim members in its 99-member Central Committee.
MPRF-D Vice Chairman Mohammad Nasir Siddiqui said that their party will nominate Muslim candidates for constituencies with Muslim majority. He further said that the party will finalize the list of candidates within a week.
Sharat Singh Bhandari-led National Madhesh Socialist Party (NMSP) spokesperson Izhar Mikrani said that their party has selected 20 Muslim candidates for Tarai constituencies. "We have proposed Muslim, Dalit and women candidates among others," said Mikrani. "Many Central Committee (CC) members of other parties who may not get election tickets are likely to join our party. We will ensure them tickets," he further added.
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