The KP Oli government in its policy and programmes announced that it plans to conduct local elections in November. The government is also expected to allocate funds for election when it presents the new fiscal’s budget. Onlinekhabar talked to Sarvendra Nath Shukla, senior leader of Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party, a member of the Madheshi Morcha and the Federal Alliance about his party’s stand on the proposed elections.
Your party has been boycotting Parliament. But you must have read the government’s policy and programmes.
Yes I have.
The document says that local elections will be held in November.
There are many things in the document which are impossible to implement. The government announcement about the elections is one of the several things that cannot be implemented.
Why is that so?
The government has formed a commission to review the village and city-level administrative units. If the commission were not there, then it would have made sense to conduct elections. But the commission has already started its work, and we need to wait for its report.
You must also not forget that there are many parties that have not accepted the constitution. I believe that the government should first resolve the constitutional issues. Until the debate over the constitution is settled, I don’t believe an election would be possible.
Even the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament under whose leadership the constitution was promulgated, has said the constitution cannot be implemented in the status quo.
But the government is not willing to accept that the constitution is incomplete.
We have not accepted the constitution. There is a sizable group of parties in Nepal that have not accepted the constitution. If the government is not willing to accept this, we will also not accept whatever the government says.
Even the Nepali Congress, the largest party in Parliament under whose leadership the constitution was promulgated, has said the constitution cannot be implemented in the status quo.
So don’t think the election will happen?
We are saying that we will not let the government conduct elections. We have been saying that if the government addresses our demands, we are ready to face elections even in September. We know that the Madheshi parties have a better standing in Madhesh, and we will win big there if elections are held.
If that is the case, why won’t you contest?
We know that if we contest the elections, it would be akin to accepting this incomplete constitution. How can we let go of the agitation’s demands just like that?
It’s been 17 years since local elections were last held in Nepal. People in the quake-affected districts want relief.
We have always said we are not against local elections. We also know that the absence of the people’s representatives has hurt development work. But we should also reflect on why elections could not be held for 17 years. The reasons persist even today. If the government moves ahead without addressing them, it will give rise to a new form of conflict.
We would not object if the government decides to hold elections in quake-affected districts
I would also like to say that we would not object if the government decides to hold elections in quake-affected districts. But we will not accept an election in the Madhesh.
So your precondition is that the government settle the provincial boundaries dispute first?
Yes. That is what we want.
Your second precondition?
The government should resolve the provincial boundaries dispute, and then allow the local bodies’ commission to work so that they can draw local administrative boundaries keeping the federal boundaries in mind.
If the government goes ahead with it plan, without addressing your demands?
We will take to the streets. In the past also we have taken to the streets, and mobilised thousands of people. We will do that again. We will burn the ballot boxes, attack the election officers, and scare away the voters.
