Eight Madhes-centric, identity-based parties have announced the formation of a Progressive Front. Notable leaders of the campaign include Upendra Yadav, CK Raut, Janardan Sharma, Prabhu Shah, and Mahantha Thakur, among others.
They were influential leaders in Madhes over the past decade but saw their political influence weaken in the March 5 elections. Speaking at the programme, Yadav expressed serious concern over the current political situation and the way the state is being governed. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Manish Jha has responded to Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen), saying that no one in the government is alone.
After RSP lawmakers themselves questioned the government during Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Shah posted a message on Facebook around midnight, implying that he was alone. Responding to Prime Minister Shah on Facebook, Jha wrote: “No one is alone in this government, which has received this great mandate for change. We are all together. As I said in the House yesterday, I have no doubts about the intentions and motives, but there are some aspects that must be improved.”
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has publicly expressed a sense of isolation in running the government, in what appeared to be a veiled criticism of the lack of cooperation from his own party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). In a reflective Facebook post on Friday night, Shah urged the public to remain patient while hinting at internal political struggles.
“It will take some time for the right time to come. It may be delayed, but it won't be wrong. Don't panic,” Shah wrote. “Sometimes reality can be different from what is heard and seen, and sometimes one has to fight alone. This is not the first time.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks came at a time of mounting pressure on the government. On Friday, lawmakers from both the opposition and the ruling coalition raised sharp concerns in Parliament over governance issues, including a widespread shortage of LPG.
Addressing the parliamentary criticism in a separate social media post on Saturday morning, Shah detailed the progress made by key state-owned enterprises over the past four months. He claimed that concerted efforts were underway to reform loss-making and closed national industries.
Despite these updates, Shah’s candid posts underscore growing tensions between the executive leadership and RSP lawmakers, signaling a widening disconnect within the ruling apparatus.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Prasad Lingden has said that his party needs to become stronger to help free the country from its current political and economic crises. Addressing the convention of the RPP Kathmandu Metropolitan City Committee in Kathmandu on Saturday, Lingden described the upcoming general convention as a “milestone” for the political future of both the party and the country.
Nepali Communist Party (NCP) leader Barshaman Pun has said that there is no alternative to cooperation and unity among leftist forces given the country’s current political situation. Pun made the remarks while speaking as the keynote speaker at a virtual discussion titled “Cooperation and Unity Among Leftist Forces in Nepal: Challenges and Prospects,” organized by the Marxist Knowledge Center on Saturday. He said cooperation was necessary among leftist forces that share similar ideologies and political perspectives. Although the communist movement is currently in a difficult and defensive position, Pun claimed that this situation would not last for long. He emphasized that even if immediate party unity is not possible, leftist forces should begin cooperating on the basis of common issues.
