Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik (MJF-L), a signatory to the 16-point agreement, has given September 5 ultimatum to the major parties to revise the proposed demarcation of the federal boundaries as per the past understanding.

MJF-L Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhadar on Wednesday warned that his party, the only Madhes-based party that supports the new constitution, would walk away from the statute drafting process if that does not happen. The warning comes against the backdrop of escalating tension in the Tarai plains.

“Our party will boycott the constitution making process if three major parties fail to heed our concerns,” Gachhadar told a press conference on Wednesday where he also announced a new Madhesi alliance among his MJF-L, the Raj Kishore Yadav-led Madhesi People’s Rights Forum-Republican and Sarad Singh Bhandari-led National Madhesh Socialist Party. The alliance formed under his leadership has 14 MJF-L lawmakers, three from Yadav’s party and one from the Bhandari-led party.

Analysts see the announcement of separate alliance as a shrewd move at a time when the protest against the draft constitution is slowly “gaining momentum” across the Tarai plains, with the prospects of consensus looking slim.

Several districts in Madhes, including Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Morang, have remained tensed this week.

Gachhadar also hopes to use the alliance to counterbalance the growing dominance of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM), a coalition of four Madhes-based parties, which is at the forefront of the ongoing protest.

MJF-L Vice-chairperson Jitendra Dev said the alliance was formed with long-term objectives rather than focusing just on protest, while hinting at a possible unification. “The alliance sees beyond the streets and assembly. There are even chances for unification if things pan out well,” said Dev.

The MJF-L leadership has shown readiness to own up the seven-province model if the major parties agree to form two provinces in Tarai, keeping Kanchanpur, Chitwan and Jhapa in the Hills.

In an interview with the Post earlier this week, Dev said that Kailali, which has been the heart of contention, could also be divided between the Hills and the plains by taking local Pahadi and Tharu leaders into confidence.

Chandra Kishore Jha, a Madhes-based journalist, said Gachhadar’s decision to announce alliance holds a larger significance. On one hand, it means widening the gulf between wider Madhes and Kathmandu establishment. Gachhadar’s absence from the constitution writing process would cut the last remaining link between Kathmandu and Madhes. On the other hand, it shows internal race among Madhesi forces to take credit of the ongoing protest. Both Gachhadar and Bhandari, who represent Hill-based communities in Madhes, have been participating in the ground-level protests from the outset.

“Growing dissent in Madhes has even forced leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to distance themselves from their parties’ position. Leaders like Bimalendra Nidhi have been pressing the party leadership to resolve the problems,” said Jha.

Meanwhile, the SLMM on Wednesday reiterated that the protest would continue unless the major parties implement the 22-point and eight-point deals they had agreed in 2007 and 2008.

“The state is hell-bent on crushing the aspirations of common people through the use of security force. Talks under current circumstances are out of question,” said Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav. Both Yadav and Chairman of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Mahanta Thakur, who arrived in the Capital on Tuesday for backdoor negotiations, have refused to sit for talks following police killing of protesters in Birgunj.

“Other the fronts and some leaders within the Morcha are already using their Kathmandu visit as a means to tarnish their image. It would be political suicide for them to sit for talks while the state is killing the innocent people,” said an SSFN leader.