Pragatiśīl Lokatāntrik Party Candidate Shivachandra Kushwaha Discusses Upcoming Elections and Political Journey

Bara. Shivachandra Kushwaha, who was also a member of the Constituent Assembly, is contesting the upcoming House of Representatives election from Bara Constituency No. 2 on the ticket of the Pragatiśīl Lokatāntrik Party (PrLopa).

Kushwaha, elected as a Constituent Assembly member from the then CPN (Maoist) in 2064 BS, contested the second Constituent Assembly election in 2070 BS from the Sadbhavana Party but was defeated. In the 2079 House of Representatives election, he returned to his former party, CPN (Maoist Centre). In that election, he was narrowly defeated by Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav (current Vice President) of JSP Nepal. When the Maoists decided to support JSP Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav in the by-election held in 2080 BS, he left the party again. Kushwaha contested the by-election as a candidate for Dr. CK Raut-led Janamat Party. He was defeated in that as well. While Upendra Yadav emerged victorious, Kushwaha became the closest competitor.  

Ratopati conducted an edited interview with Kushwaha, who is contesting the election on February 21 on the PrLopa ticket, focusing on the election issues:

You are a candidate from the Pragatiśīl Lokatāntrik Party (PrLopa) this time?

We have established the Pragatiśīl Lokatāntrik Party as an alternative force following the Gen-Z movement for social justice and the establishment of good governance. We rebelled against the Maoist party because our voices advocating for social justice within the party were suppressed.

What are your election agendas?

Our main agenda is to establish good governance in the country. When anarchy increases, corruption rises. Good governance cannot be established without discipline. The people need fertilizer and electricity for agricultural irrigation. I will work on these issues.

What is your standing in Bara Constituency No. 2?

In the last by-election in my constituency, all parties united to defeat me. At that time, fighting alone, I secured 23,600 votes. Now, all parties are fighting against me individually. I am in a situation where I have to compete against all parties separately. My victory is certain.

Why did you choose the new party PrLopa, formed after the Gen-Z movement, instead of seeking tickets from the main parties?

There was public suggestion to contest from Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). However, I am explaining to the people that RSP has no principles, ideology, or philosophy. It is a party that emerged out of thin air. I have contributions and investments in other parties like UML and Maoist. I have a significant investment in the communist movement. I did not receive self-respect within UML and Maoist. When we raised the issue of social justice and party interests, we were not believed. Therefore, we created an alternative force ourselves and did not contest on their tickets for the sake of self-respect.

When we demanded responsibility in the organization based on our capability and qualification within the Maoist party, we were kept weak. But when Janardan Sharma rebelled within the party and came out, I supported his campaign and worked towards building an alternative force.

Janardan Sharma is the leader of our party. When he was in the Maoist party, he was a good and honest commander. Later, I developed an emotional connection with him, and we remained together in building an alternative force.

After the Gen-Z movement, there is a situation of fragmentation and rebellion in all old parties. The old parties have become notorious with the same people becoming Prime Minister in turns. The Gen-Z movement is the result of that. We opened an alternative party to respect the spirit of the Gen-Z movement.

You were a Constituent Assembly member in 2064 BS. There is an allegation that you switch parties in every election since then?

I am a person with a rebellious and revolutionary ideology. I am not someone who can sit silently when insulted. When insulted, I rebel for my honor and social justice. I rebelled because I was insulted within the party. If a person who lost by a small margin is attacked on their self-respect due to internal conflict within the party, how can they stay? Therefore, as a revolutionary, I rebelled.

Doesn't the mandate of the people prove my respect? But why doesn't the party believe it? Am I a slave to any party? I am a person who won a Constituent Assembly seat.

When the Madhes movement was happening, Shivachandra Kushwaha won from the border area. In 2070 BS, the sentiment of the district's people was focused on me. But due to internal conflict within the party, not only was my ticket cut, but tickets of 40 winning MPs were snatched away. After that, the Maoist party completely declined.

The parties failed to understand the character of Madhes. Planning for Madhes, Hills, and Mountains together is causing problems. Every plan must be made relatively. Decisions on everything must be made relatively, understanding the spirit of federalism. Voices are not heard within the party, and there is also a lack of political awareness in Madhes.

When I was the in-charge of Bara district, we won two out of four constituencies where candidates contested. We were defeated by a small margin in other constituencies. But in 2070 BS, I was removed from the district in-charge position due to internal conflict within the party.

After not being given the MP ticket, I decided within an hour and contested on a ticket from the Sadbhavana Party, losing by a small margin. So much injustice was done to me at that time. If the party had not done injustice, Bara district would still be with the Maoists today.

But today, the Maoist party is finished in Madhes, and even in the country, due to the failure to analyze the right things correctly within the party, nepotism, favoritism, and casteism.

You contested the 2080 by-election on Dr. CK Raut's Janamat Party ticket. But your association with him did not last long, did it?

I lost the by-election because of CK Raut. Otherwise, three former Prime Ministers coming together could not have defeated me in the by-election. I contested on his party's ticket because CK Raut had made commitments to me at that time. A conflict arose one week before the voting. I lost the election because CK Raut did not fulfill the commitments he had made.

There is the greatest oppression in Madhes. What is the reason why the people of Madhes always suffer?

The reason why the people of Madhes suffer is the extreme level of social discrimination. During elections, the influence of money does not allow people to choose their views freely. The character of Madhes is a petty-bourgeois character. The Madhesi community is trapped by greed and temptation, so individuals who respect the public sentiment end up being defeated in elections.

The parties failed to understand the character of Madhes. Planning for Madhes, Hills, and Mountains together is causing problems. Every plan must be made relatively. Decisions on everything must be made relatively, understanding the spirit of federalism. Voices are not heard within the party, and there is also a lack of political awareness in Madhes.

What is your comment on Balen Shah, whom RSP has put forward as a candidate for Prime Minister?

The people of Kathmandu elected Balen Shah, mistaking him for a Thakuri Shah. He has only managed to implement 30 percent of the budget of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He has only polished and cleaned the roads built by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. He has invested little but makes it look like a lot, and people keep saying 'Balen, Balen.' However, his negative aspect is that he has been chasing away the poor, laborers, small traders, and waste collectors from the city.

He caused trouble for unemployed people trying to make a living on the footpath. He is not a political person; he has no principles, philosophy, or ideology.