KATHMANDU: The Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) led by Ashok Rai has split. The division occurred over internal disagreements on whether to pursue unity with a Madhesh-based party or with the Nepali Communist Party (NCP).
A faction of leaders, amid escalating differences, has decided to merge with the NCP led by coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. The dispute intensified to the point where Federal Council Chair Rajendra Shrestha and five other leaders chose to leave the JSP and integrate into the NCP.
Those resigning to join the NCP include Federal Council Chair Shrestha; Vice-chairs Ranadhwaj Limbu and Parshuram Basnet; Central Advisory Committee Chair Durgamani Dewan; Central Expert Council Chair Dr. Pushparaj Rajkarnikar; and Central Investigation Commission Chair Krishna Bahadur Ghaju.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the leaders said they decided to resign from the party and join the NCP on November 5 after the party leadership failed to convene an executive meeting to discuss party unity.
They informed Chair Rai that they opted for unity with the NCP because the current political situation demands cooperation with like-minded progressive forces to safeguard past achievements and work toward further reforms.
Within the JSP, leaders including Pradip Yadav and Nawal Kishor Shah had been pushing for unity with Madhesh-based parties and alliances. Although Ashok Rai was also interested in unity with the NCP, the timing did not materialize. Due to this dispute, Shrestha and his group chose to part ways and move toward Prachanda.
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