Ethnic parties key players in West

POKHARA, NOV 01 -

Caste and ethnicity-based parties that emerged after 2008 could play a crucial role in shaping the election results in the Western region, where major parties won with thin margins in the first CAelection .

Three new parties—Akhanda Nepal Party (ANP), Rastriya Swabhiman Party (RSP) and Federal Socialist Party Nepal (FSPN)—have fielded candidates in all the constituencies of western Nepal. While the ANP (representing Chhetris), and RSP (representing hill-Brahmins) are for ‘Akhanda’ (undivided) Western region and against ethnicity-based federalism, the FSPN representing the Janajatis, stands for ethnic identity-based federalism.

The ANP and RSP are likely to affect the core constituencies of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, while the FSPN, led by former UML leader Ashok Rai, is likely to hold sway over the indigenous Janajati constituencies of the major parties.

“The new parties are highly unlikely to win the FPTP seats, but they will affect the NC and UML’s prospects in areas where the parties could have marginal wins,” said Kapil Mani Pokhrel, a political science teacher at Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara. “When it comes to the proportional representation system, such a trend would have a direct bearing on the margins for the major parties.”

Myagdi, Baglung, Gulmi, Palpa, Gorkha, Kaski, Syangja, Lamjung and Tanahun districts are dominated by hill-Brahmin and Chhetri populations.

The ANP and the RSP have intensified their campaigns in these districts, claiming that their representation in the new CA will help prevent the assembly from going for an ethnicity-based federalism. “Our core constituencies are Brahmin/Chhetris. People who are against ethnicity-based federalism will vote for us,” said Padam Bahadur Karki, a central committee member of the ANP. 

The Brahmin and Chhetri movement gained momentum a few weeks before the dissolution of the CA in May last year. The four major political parties—UCPN (Maoist), NC, UML and Samyukta Loktantrik (SLMM)—signed an agreement to federate the country into 11 states and form a commission to settle the names and demarcation of such states on May 15, 2012. 

Immediately after the agreement, a group of Janajati leaders submitted a memorandum to Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, demanding ethnic-based federalism and collected signatures of 340 lawmakers in favour of ethnic federalism.

In reaction, a section of the Brahmin, Khas and Chhetri communities launched a movement in Kathmandu, demanding that the country should not be federated along ethnic lines. 

After the dissolution of the CA, these two mutually conflicting movements emerged as political parties. 

In the previous constitution drafting process, political parties agreed to list Brahmins and Chhetris in the ‘other groups’ category, though they were demanding that they be listed as an indigenous group. 

However, after the Bhramins and Chhetris took to the streets on May 18, 2012, the government agreed to include them in the indigenous list as Arya Khas. 

“The aggressive ethnic-agenda gave birth to the Akhanda and other parties,” said advocate Biso Ghimire. 

The FSPN is also likely to snatch away some Janajati constituencies of the UCPN (Maoist), NC and UML. 

Many Janajatis affiliated to these three major parties have switched allegience to the FSPN, which is active in the West.