MPRF-R Chairman Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta and TJMM Chairman Jha signed a four-point agreement and announced their merger at a press meet in Janakpur.[break]
According to the agreement, TJMM has agreed to accept the peaceful, parliamentary political path of MPRF-R with the objective of establishing an autonomous Madhes state.
MPRF-R has agreed to accomodate in respectable positions TJMM leaders from the local to central level.
TJMM´s central committee compromises 17 members.
Similarly, MPRF-R and TJMM have agreed to exert pressure on the government to preceed with peace talks with armed outfits still operating in various parts of the Tarai.
They have also agreed to put pressure on the government to address demands floated by the people and political parties in the Tarai region.
Asked why an armed outfit had decided to merge into a party with a different ideology, TJMM Chairman Jha told Republica over the phone, ´´We decided to merge into MPRF-R to institutionalize the achievements of the Madhes movement in a peaceful way.´´
Jha said the unified party would compel the state to address Madhesi issues as they would be able to raise their voice forcefully.
Asked what would be the future of TJMM leaders accused in criminal cases for their armed activities, Jha said, ´´We have become completely disarmed and will ask the government to withdraw the criminal cases against them.´´
The government has accused about 300 TJMM leaders and cadres of involvement in criminal activities, according to Jha.
Jha had defected from the Tarai Janatantarik Mukti Morkha led by Rajan Mukti two years ago and formed a separate group under his own leadership.
MRPF-R Chairman Gupta has asked the government to initiate peace talks with various armed outfits operating in the Tarai.
Political analysts have applauded the merger. Madhes-based political analyst Chandra Kishor Jha said it was a positive move as an armed outfit was joining mainstream politics. "However, their past criminal activities must not be exempted," he added.
Jha termed the latest move ´political strategy´ on the part of MPRF-R Chairman Gupta. ´´The latest move is a result of Gupta´s strategy to widen political horizons. Gupta seems to be trying to catch the sentiments of other disgruntled Madhes-based party leaders." According to Jha, grievances are mounting among Madhesi leaders.
The latest move by the TJMM can be interpreted as an outcome of the government´s strategy of disarming armed outfits operating in the Terai. "TJMM could have decided to join open politics fearing the government´s new security strategy," another political analyst told Republica, requesting anonymity and adding, "Against this backdrop, the armed outfits have no alternative to joining peaceful politics".
The government has been bringing into force a special security plan against armed outfits operating in the Tarai and other parts of the country for the past two years while India continues to extradite dozens of leaders associated with various underground armed outfits.
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