Kathmandu, June 11

Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic (MJF-D) leader Sarat Singh Bhandari Monday announced that he would launch a new party.

Organising a press conference here, leader Bhandari called a gathering of national level cadres for June 27 to launch the new party.

Bhandari said that he was compelled to form the new party due to the anti-Madhesi and anti-democratic activities of MJF-D chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar.

He said, "We had formed new party with Gachchhadar two years ago to liberate themselves from the undemocratic and autocratic tendencies of Upendra Yadav but Gachchhadar repeated the same."

He further said that even though the party would be formed standing on the foundation of the historic Madhes movement, it would work for the disadvantaged people of the entire country.

Speaking about the contemporary political situations, leader Bhandari accused the Baburam Bhattarai-led government along with MJF-D chairman Gachchhadar,

who is also Deputy Prime Minister of dissolving the Constituent Assembly without delivering the new constitution.

Also accusing the present government of being autocratic, he threatened to protest against it collaborating with the democratic parties.

Bhandari further expressed his firm commitment to the identity-based federalism.

The mounting disagreement between MJF-D chairman Gachchhadar and senior leader Bhandari which was generated following the ouster of the latter from the post of Defence Minister, reached its climax a few days ago when Bhandari was expelled from MJF-D accusing him of working against the party’s interests.

It is believed that Bhandari reached a conclusion to form the new party when dozen of the leaders close to him resigned from the MJF-D instead of furnishing written clarification to the party.

Nine leaders- Pramod Gupta, Om Prakash Yadav, Nilam Barma, Kaushal Kumar Yadav, Ramanand Mandal, Sewaki Devi Das, Ammirullah Ansari, Paras Sah and Amrita Agrahari- who resigned on Sunday from MJF-D were also present at the press meet.

Likewise, Dr. Ganga Prasad Akela, Jay Prakash Yadav, Rameshwor Sah, Mohammad Yusuf Saafi, Jiwadhi Chaudhari and Shashi Kant Mishra also announced to join Bhandari, resigning from the MJF-D.