“Sadbhawana Party (SP) led by Rajendra Mahato wants to take ahead unification talks with TMDP,” said Shukla, adding that there would be two separate alliances between Madhes based parties -- one would be led by Upendra Yadav and another by Mahantha Thakur. He said the plan to unify the Madhes-based parties couldn´t materialize as SP isn´t ready to accept Mahantha Thakur as chief of the unified party.[break]
“There is no possibility of unification unless SP accepts Thakur as the chief of the unified party,” said Shukla. He also said that there is a possibility of election alliance with SP and “political adjustment” with the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D).
Asked about possibility of election alliance with Upendra Yadav-led MPRF-Nepal, Shukla said, “Upendra Yadav has already parted ways with us. He has been following the ´north´ (China) line, and lately has built closer with royalists. He is no more interested in rightist politics.”
Analyst CK Lal said there is slim possibility of unification between Madhesi parties. “Election alliance could be the alternative for unification,” he said. Analysts believe that the Indian agencies in Nepal want to see unification between Madhes-based parties ahead of the coming elections.
“The Indian establishment and SP have maintained close ties for long. India had funded formation of SP and then PM Rajeev Gandhi had extended support to the process,” political commentator Pashupati Nath Madhesi told Republica. “Similarly, when SP Chairman Rajendra Mahato was staging a fast onto death, Indian Ambassador Jayant Prasad showed serious concern and had met him.”
He said India has lately made some changes in its policy toward Nepal. “India wants Madhesi parties to either unify or come under a single alliance before the election,” he said. Madhesi claimed that if Madhes-based parties do not forge an alliance, they are sure to face a terrible defeat in the upcoming polls. “Indian Embassy in Kathmandu wants to see Madhesi parties emerge as a strong force.”
However, CK Lal said the Indian Embassy has no any interest in the unification of Madhesi parties.
Another political commentator Chandrakishore Jha said, “I don´t see any possibility of unification between the Madhes-based parties.”
General Secretary of SP Manish Kumar Suman has denied the accusations made by TMDP leader Shukla. “Our party has never officially decided to forge unification with TMDP. TMDP always sought cheap popularity by talking about party unification. We have not talked held any formal talks with Mahantha Thakur over unification and alliances,” Suman said. He said his party was interested in unification rather than forging alliances with the TMDP. Also Suman denied Indian influence on his party.
Meanwhile, Madhesi leader JP Gupta following his meeting with External Affairs Minister of India Salman Khursid on Tuesday has written on his website www.jayprakashgupta.com: “India wanted to see all Madhesi parties united. Khursid had given priority to Madhesi leaders this time.”
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