Rajendra Mahato, a well-known political figure in Nepal, has a long history of being involved in issues related to the Madhesh region and identity politics. He has often been seen as a shrewd political opportunist.
After losing the 2022 general election, Mahato was left without a seat in parliament. This pushed him out of mainstream power politics, and he turned his focus toward an identity-based movement. He also started to broaden his message, talking about the rights of indigenous people in the hills and mountains, not just the Madhesi community.
Recently, Mahato has decided to work with the Janata Samajwadi Party, a ruling party led by Ashok Rai. This new partnership could lead to a full merger and brings Mahato closer to a position of power once again.
Mahato recently published a book called “Adhura Kranti” (Unfinished Revolution), where he argues for the creation of a “multi-national state” in Nepal. He believes that without this, a true revolution for identity, rights, and good governance is not possible. He left his previous party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP), to start a new party called the Rastriya Mukti Party (National Liberation Party) to pursue this vision.
Now, he is joining forces with Ashok Rai to achieve his “unfinished revolution.” It remains to be seen if this alliance will genuinely advance his cause or if it’s another step for him to regain political power.
Mahato’s political career is marked by constantly changing alliances. He has a reputation for joining different parties and coalitions depending on what benefits him at the time.
For example, he is currently part of the Federal Democratic Alliance, a group of seven parties. At the same time, he is now forming a new alliance with Ashok Rai, who split from a different party led by Upendra Yadav. Mahato’s supporters say these alliances serve different purposes, but critics see it as a pattern of political convenience.
When Mahato briefly served as Deputy Prime Minister in 2021, he sparked controversy by immediately vowing to work toward a “multi-national state.” Critics accused him of undermining the constitution, and he later had to issue a statement clarifying that he was committed to the constitution.
However, after losing the election, he went back to promoting this same idea. This shows that the “multi-national state” concept is a core part of his political agenda, which he now hopes to advance through his new partnership with Ashok Rai.