KATHMANDU, Dec 14: Two independent candidates—Amaresh Kumar Singh and Prabhu Sah--elected as members of House of Representatives (HoR) in the recently-held elections are mulling to form a new political party.

While Singh, a former leader of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC), was elected as HoR member from Sarlahi constituency number 4, Prabhu Sah, who decided to quit the UML ahead of the parliamentary election held on November 20, was elected from Rautahat constituency number 3 as an independent candidate. The UML has already relieved Sah even from the party’s general membership.

Singh told Republica that although he has not yet taken a final decision to form a new party there is an urgent need to form a new political party in the country. “It is now clear that the existing political parties cannot sustain the existing multi-party democratic system. If you talk about the Nepali Congress, the party lost more than seven percent popular votes during this election due to the working style of President [Sher Bahadur] Deuba,” he said.

Singh also alleged that the role of businessmen was increasing within the Nepali Congress due to commercialization of the party. “He has not only made the party to promote family, but also put the party into huge corruption scandals,” said Singh, adding,. “This has made it necessary to have a new political force in the country. I will take the decision to form a new party after taking into account the mood of the people and the country as a whole.”

Singh has also intensified meetings with various political party leaders including independent lawmaker Prabhu Sah, who is also mulling to form a new political party.  Sah, who earlier quit the CPN (Maoist Center), recently held a meeting with CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Sah had rejected the ticket given by the UML and contested the parliamentary election as an independent candidate. Sources said both the Maoist Center and CPN (Unified Socialist) party led by Madhav Kumar Nepal had supported him in the election.

“We are currently holding discussions after the victory in the election. We have been talking to like-minded groups and individuals to form a new party. However, we have not taken any decision yet on the issue so far,” said a leader close to Sah.

Sources, however, claimed that Sah has informally communicated with Maoist Center Chairman Dahal that he may return to his former party if he is provided with a central role in Madhesh Province and an office bearers’ position in the party at the center. Maoist Centre Chairman Dahal has not given any words on this to Sah, according to the sources. 

 
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