KATHMANDU: The group led by former Chairman of Janata Samajwadi Party Mahantha Thakur said it would participate in the government if the Election Commission (EC) gave recognition to its newly proposed Democratic Samajwadi Party (DSP).

The DSP will join the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government to get the Madhesi issues addressed if the DSP gets recognition from the EC, said DSP’s senior leader Sharat Singh Bhandari.

Earlier, Thakur-Mahato faction had filed an application at the EC for the registration of the Janata Samajwadi Party (Democratic). The faction proposed a new name Democratic Samajwadi Party after the EC  rejected the name saying that it resembles to the name of another party.

In the newly proposed DSP, Mahantha Thakur has been proposed as the chairman while Rajendra Mahato and  Bhandari are senior leaders.  The newly proposed party has a 31-central executive committee (CEC).

The EC has said it would give recognition to the DSP following verification of the CEC members.