People's Socialist Party Nepal

The People's Socialist Party, Nepal (abbr. PSP-N; Nepali: जनता समाजवादी पार्टी, नेपाल), also known as Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal is the sixth-largest political party in Nepal. Since the 2022 local election, the party has been limited to stand only as the third largest party of Madhesh Province after the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) respectively. Recently the party faced a major split when 7 of 12 pratinidhi sabha MPs formed a new party, People's Socialist Party under leadership of party's federal council chairman Ashok Rai.

With 5 out of 275 seats in the lower house House of Representative and 3 out of 59 seats in the upper house National Assembly, the party is the eighth largest political party in the Federal Parliament.

Ideology

The party advocates for identity based federalism and a more inclusive parliament. They also support a more decentralized government structure which guarantee of more power to provincial and local governments. The party intends to implement the agreements of the Nepalese Civil War, Madheshi movement and various other movements.

History

Formation of PSP-N

The Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Samajbadi Party, Nepal were in constant negotiations throughout 2019 with talks failing or being in limbo because of issues relating to power sharing and Samajbadi Party, Nepal not withdrawing support from the K.P. Oli led government.

Samajbadi Party finally quit the government in late on 24 December 2019 after the Prime minister rejected the party's proposals on constitution amendments while demoting Yadav from the post of Health Minister. The failure to quit the government despite repeated calls before had put a deadlock on the negotiations between the two parties. Hopes of unification suffered a further blow when RJPN announced an electoral alliance with the ruling Nepal Communist Party for the 2020 National Assembly elections while the Samajbadi Party, Nepal announced electoral alliance with Nepali Congress. Negotiations for unification still continued through early 2020 with issues relating to power sharing and leadership still becoming a major sticking point for both parties rather than ideology.

As per trusted sources and national media's, Renu Yadav wanted to split the party with seven other MPs which included Bimal Prasad Shrivastav, Surendra Kumar Yadav, Mohammad Estiyak Rai, Pradeep Yadav, Umashankar Argariya, Kalu Devi Bishwakarma and Renuka Gurung. Though the plan went unsuccess do to last moment merger of Samajbadi Party, Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal to form People's Socialist Party, Nepal it was highly covered by national medias.

The deadlock finally broke on 23 April 2020 after this incident and the two parties finally reached an agreement for a merger just two days after the government issued an ordinance that amended the Political Party Act which made it possible for a party to split if supported by 40% of either the party's central committee or its parliamentarians, The new party, People's Socialist Party, Nepal was officially registered with the Election Commission on 9 July 2020.

It was formed by the merger of the two parties in Nepal, the Samajbadi Party, Nepal, led by Baburam Bhattarai and Upendra Yadav, and the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, led by the presidium of Mahantha Thakur and five others.

Election year 2023

The party faces a major setback in the 2022 Nepalese local elections when it had to lose majority of places it contested. The party had to lose Hanumannagar Kankalini municipality and Balan Bihul rural municipality to newly formed Janamat Party led by CK Raut. Among these, son of provincial minister Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi lost as mayor in Hanumannagar Kankalini.

Party's leader and chief minister Lalbabu Raut lost his own home town, Jagarnathpur Rural Municipality to Nepali Congress. Even his wife Jalekha Khatun lost as deputy chairperson candidate. Similarly, the party lost its security deposits in various local levels of Madhesh Province and all over Nepal which it had contested for not attaining even 10% vote. Party's candidate for mayor in Janakpur, Lal Kishor Sah could attain only fifth position and lost to Nepali Congress leader Manoj Kumar Sah. As a result, Nepali Congress stood as single largest party in Madhesh Province. As a result, the party was limited to become only the third largest party of Madhesh province being able to win just 28 local levels in province compared to 45 which it had before elections. This was seen as an effect of split in party forming Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and the rise of Janamat Party, Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party in eastern terai while Janata Pragatisheel Party and Nagrik Unmukti Party in western terai of Nepal.

The party had to bear a huge loss all over Nepal. Party's Chairman Upendra Yadav lost his seat Saptari 2 to CK Raut of Janamat Party. Similarly the party was limited to 6 of 32 seats in Madhesh Province. The party was even limited to third position after Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) respectively in Madhesh Provincial Assembly winning just 16 of 107 seats.

Organization and structure

Central working committee

The party has 20 membered central working committee.

Central committee

The party has 400 membered central committee.

People's Socialist Party, Nepal (PSPN) represents in National (Federal) Parliament, Provincial Parliament and local level as well. Party's central committee consists of near 400 members within which 1/3 are women, 17 members of “Central Working Committee” (Supreme Executive Body of Party) and 53 members of Political Affairs Committee exists. 4 central organs, 119 members of central council, 20 different central departments, 7 provincial committees, 77 districts committees, 753 local committees are the strength of party structure nationwide that results of total active members of 1,55,000. Party also consists of 16 sisters organizations that incorporate youth, students, women, teachers & professors, intellectuals, engineers, legal professionals, journalists, civil servants, sports personnel, health workers, trade union, Ngo & INGo workers and so on. These sisters organizations have structures from national level to local level and perform their activities independently. Party also has its sister organizational strength abroad too. In India, PSPN has separate Nepalese organization, where as, in other foreign countries, parties have Nepalese Federal Society called NEFESO (in short) in more than 20 foreign countries called NEFESO UK chapter, NEFESO Malaysia chapter, NEFESO South Korea chapter, NEFESO Japan chapters and so on. In this way, PSPN has been strong organizational strength not only within countries but also abroad in more than 20 foreign countries.

Leadership

Federal council chairmen

• Baburam Bhattarai 2020–2022

• Ashok Rai[26] 2022–present

Executive chairmen

• Mahantha Thakur[27] 2020–2021

• Upendra Yadav [27] 2020–present

Chief ministers

Madhesh Province

Electoral performance

General election

Provincial election

Local election

List of Members of Parliament

List of Rastriya Sabha members from People's Socialist Party

List of Pratinidhi Sabha members from People's Socialist Party