Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav has said the protest launched by the Rastriya Janta Party Nepal (RJPN) against the second phase of local polls will snatch the voting rights of Madhesi people.

Talking to reporters at his residence in Biratnagar on Tuesday, Yadav said that it would be wise for the RJPN to participate in the local polls instead of resorting to protest.

He added that the local polls were the only way to institutionalise the achievements obtained so far and get further rights for Madhesi people.

“No forms of protest can stop the upcoming elections,” he said, adding, “Elections are the only thing people want now.”

 Saying that there was a huge turnout of voters (74 percent) in the first phase of local polls despite attempts by Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist to foil the elections through bomb blast, Yadav said that parties opposing the elections should learn from this example.

Leader Yadav said the frequent protests in Madhes has killed many people rather than yielding any achievements, therefore, there was no alternative to participate in the elections to garner people’s support that would ultimately bail the country out of long standing political crisis.

Yadav said that the internal rife within the RJPN leaders was the reason for the party to go against the elections.

Yadav also said that willpower of the government will be the deciding factor whether the second phase elections will be held in the country or not. “There are examples that elections were conducted besides gun fires,” said Yadav.

Yadav further said that it was crucial to conduct three tiers of election by January 2018. He said that federalism and republic status of the country obtained through sacrifices made by martyrs’ will perish if the elections were not held by that time.

In order to institutionalise the federalism and overcome conspiracy to revoke republic status, it is necessary to amend the constitution and this is possible only through elections, Yadav said.

“Since no party has shown seriousness in addressing the grievances of Madhes, it is important to convince CPN-UML and amend the constitution to resolve this issue,” said Yadav.