Madhesi parties in a tug of war to pull people’s reps to their side

Published On: September 3, 2021 12:31 PM NPT By: Mithilesh Yadav

LAHAN, September 3: After splitting from the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), the Democratic Socialist Party led by Mahantha Thakur is busy trying to lure the people of Madhesh to support their party. Likewise, the JSP is doing the same to make their party even stronger.

According to a JSP leader, chairman of Democratic Socialist Party Thakur arrived at Janakpurdham on Wednesday to attract members of the provincial assembly and ward leaders toward their newly-formed party. Similarly, JSP Chairman Upendra Yadav also arrived at Janakpurdham on Thursday to do the same.

According to Jayram Yadav, leader of JSP’s parliamentary party in Province 2, the provincial members to ward leaders and members of Province 1 are loyal to JSP and that nobody from the province will be shifting towards the Democratic Socialist Party.

Although the JSP is considered as a national party, most of the party’s supporters are from Province 2. The erstwhile Federal Socialist Forum had 30 provincial lawmakers while the then Rashtriya Janata Party had 25 lawmakers. After they merged, the new party formed - the Janata Samajwadi Party - had 55 provincial lawmakers. Following their split, the Democratic Socialist Party has lost more than 10 members to the Janata Samajwadi Party. Despite their loss of members, Mahantha Thakur has been trying to regain his former members to join his newly formed party - the Democratic Socialist party.

Despite Thakur’s efforts to lure as many provincial makers into his party as possible, the JSP has been trying to make his efforts unsuccessful. Chairperson of both JSP and Democratic Socialist Party have been trying to gain the support of as many people’s representatives as they can. Both the senior leaders will remain at Janakpurdham till September 7.

The Democratic Socuialist party is trying to gain the support of as many provincial assembly members as they can, a leader said. The party is doing everything in their power to lure as many lawmakers and people’s representatives at the local level, he said. So far, Prahalad Giri and Dimple Jha have come forward to support and side with the Democratic Socialist Party. With this the Democratic Socialist Party now has 12 provincial assembly members.