KATHMANDU: Chandrakant (CK) Raut, chairperson of the Janamat Party, has been defeated by the candidate of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the recent elections, raising questions about the survival of the Madhesh-based alternative political force.
Ahead of the polls, RSP made several attempts to reconcile with CK Raut, but he chose to focus on his own party rather than join the national party. Janamat, which gained national attention in the 2079 BS elections by defeating influential Madhesh leader Upendra Yadav, failed to win a single seat this time. CK Raut himself lost from Saptari-2, while RSP’s Ramji Yadav emerged victorious with 28,404 votes. Umesh Kumar Yadav of the Janata Samabadi Party came second with 14,283 votes, and Raut managed only 980 votes.
This defeat marks a significant setback for Janamat, halting the parliamentary journey of the Madhesh-based alternative political force. Raut also faced a challenge from former colleague Satish Kumar Singh, who split from Janamat to form the Swabhimani Party. Several senior leaders had left Janamat before the elections, citing personal interests.
CK Raut, known for leading the Madhesh separatist movement and advocating for Madhes autonomy, has been arrested 24 times in the past. In 2075 BS, he signed an 11-point agreement with the Nepal government, participating peacefully in politics within constitutional bounds. After his victory in the 2079 elections, he transformed Janamat into a national party. Raut has been recognized as an intellectual leader from Madhesh, actively speaking against corruption and promoting transparency in parliament.
However, the party split has severely affected Janamat’s electoral performance. Analysts also point to the nationwide campaign of Balendra Shah from Raswpa, portrayed as a prime ministerial candidate, as a factor in Janamat’s defeat.
Despite securing more than 3% of the proportional votes, Janamat cannot regain national party status because it failed to win any direct seats. The party received 24,259 proportional votes but did not secure representation in parliament.
The unexpected results have been a setback not only for Janamat but also for other Madhes-based parties. While some traditional Madhes parties still hold influence, others, like Thakur’s Democratic Socialist Party and Prabhu Shah’s All Janata Party, also failed to win seats, limiting their prospects of attaining national party status.
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