Nepal's Madhesi alliance breaks amid 'bribery scam'

A key Terai based party, which was part of the Madhesi alliance, today decided to break away from the front over the issue of voting during the sixth round of Parliament election for a new prime minister, amid a bribery scandal linking a top Maoist leader.

Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), led by Upendra Yadav with his strength of 25 Parliament members broke the alliance in a surprising manner amid a bribery scandal linking a Unified CPN-Maoists' foreign department chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

MPRF decided to break away from the United Madhesi Democratic Front, and take an independent decision on the voting today, myrepublica online, the website of Republica newspaper reported today.

During a meeting of four Madhesi parties, three decided to remain neutral while MPRF reportedly said they would independently take a decision, it said. In earlier rounds, MPRF had remained neutral as per the consensus decision of the front.

The MPRF, which has 25 lawmakers in the 601-member Constituent Assembly, refrained from announcing their parliamentary party decision, saying that they would announce it during the electoral process in the house.

It is noteworthy that 11 among 25 MPRF lawmakers voted for Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal during the third round of the election going against the party decision on August 2, the report said.

MPRF (Democratic), Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhawana Party, who together have 57 lawmakers, decided to remain neutral during today's vote.

Yadav had been an ally of the Maoists in the past and but he had joined the Madhesi Front in the pretext of fighting for the cause of the rights and greater representation of the Madhesi people.

The party suddenly broke alliance with the front and political analysts see role of the northern neighbour in breaking the alliance.

The party, however, boycotted Sunday's election for the post of prime minister, but highly placed sources claimed that during the next round of voting on September 7, the lawmakers belonging to the Madhesi party are most likely to vote in favour of Maoist chief Prachanda.

The Madhesi Front had remained neutral during the last six rounds of voting for the post of the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress general secretary Bimalendra has demanded probe into the matter relating to the audio tape in which Maoist foreign department chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara had sought Rs50 crore from China to buy 50 MPs to get Prachanda elected to the high post.

"It is very objectionable that money from a neighbouring country played role in the election for prime minister," he said and demanded immediate investigation into the matter.

A wiretap yesterday alleged that the Maoists have sought Rs50 crore from China to "buy" lawmakers to get their supremo elected to the coveted post.

In a telephonic conversation, the tape of which was leaked to the media here yesterday, Mahara was purportedly heard asking an unknown Chinese official for Rs50 crore to buy 50 MPs, apparently from Terai-based Madhesi parties which have been boycotting the polls.

However, Mahara, in a statement, dismissed the tape as "fabricated, misleading and fictitious."

Extracts of the alleged conversation were carried by The Himalayan Times, which said that Mahara agreed to meet the Chinese official in Hong Kong after seeking Rs50 crore. The audio tape was also broadcast by local TV channels.

There is growing speculation in the media that there is division among the Madhesi parties over remaining neutral.

It was reported that the alliance of four Madhes-based parties witnessed a virtual split today after failing to reach a joint decision on voting in the sixth runoff vote. The United Madhesi Democratic Front (UMDF) leaders, however, claimed that their alliance remained intact.