JSP dispute widens as Province Committee takes action against four lawmakers

KATHMANDU: The Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) has witnessed a rift after the party’s Lumbini Province Committee took action against four lawmakers who joined the provincial government.

Four lawmakers of the party had become ministers in the government led by Chief Minister Shankar Pokharel.

The provincial committee had taken action against JSP lawmakers Bijay Yadav, Santosh Pandey, Kalpana Pandey and Suman Rayamajhi for supporting the government led by Pokharel.

With this, the rift between the two factions – led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav and another led by Mahanta Thakur — has widened.

Dr. Bhattarai said that the party would take stern action against the four lawmakers who have supported what he said “regressive steps” for the sake of power.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Mahanta Thakur faction, Manish Suman said that the four lawmakers would not lose their seats in the provincial assembly even if the party took action against them.

He said that the provincial committee cannot take action without the consent of the Central Executive Committee.

President of the JSP’s Lumbini Province Ashok Kumar Yadav had on Monday issued a statement instructing the four lawmakers to withdraw their decision to become the ministers.