Madhesi parties and some Janajati groups have agreed to forge a tactical alliance ahead of a nationwide protest they have planned to stage this month-end. The proposed alliance would primarily constitute affiliates of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) and Adivasi Janajati Rastriya Andolan (Ajra).

Morcha is an alliance of seven Madhes-based parties, while the Padma Ratna Tuladhar-led Ajra constitutes nearly 50 Janajati groups, including fringe parties and ethnic organisations and right groups. Although the Ajra-affiliated parties have barely 10 seats in Parliament, it has considerable influence on Nepal Federation of Indigenous Communities—the apex body of 56 ethnic communities in the country. Morcha has 40 seats in Parliament.

Leaders from both sides said there has been understanding to collaborate on issues of common interest, besides unveiling unified programme of protest.

Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav said that there has been an agreement among all agitating groups to launch a joint protest. The agreement was reached at a meeting in the Capital on Saturday.

“The new constitution has also discriminated Janajati, Dalit and other communities. Everyone has agreed to continue the struggle for equality unless our rightful concerns are addressed in the spirit of the past agreement,” said Yadav.

Disappointed with achievement of the five-month-long protest that claimed more than 40 lives, the Madhes-based parties now plan to launch a Kathmandu-centric protest to mount collective pressure on the government to address their remaining demands.

“Nobody cared when so many people died in Madhes during the protest. We believe a similar protest in Kathmandu would have much bigger impact. This is why we are making Singha Durbar our next target over border blockade,” said Rajendra Mahato, chairman of the Sadbhawana Party.

The Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal is the lone Madhes-based party with a support base in Kathmandu—a traditional stronghold of Newar and Tamang communities. This has made a collaboration with Janajati groups a necessity, said a Morcha leader. Janajati groups have been demanding delineation of province based on identity.  

However, with the three largest parties in Parliament—Nepal Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist)—enjoying considerable influence over Janajati constituencies, there are doubts over Ajra’s ability to garner enough public support due to a sharp division among Janajati communities along party line.

Moreover, a section of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Communities is unlikely to extend support to Tuladhar. Some demands of Madhes-based parties like formation of two provinces along the Tarai plains have also diminished chances of wider support from Janajati groups as they contradict with demands of Limbuwan, Tharuhat and Magarat.

“There are some differences but they can be settled once the state agrees to address our concerns,” said Rajendra Shrestha, a Janajati leader.