United Democratic Madhesi Front (, transliteration: Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha)was a political alliance of

Madhesh Madhesh Province ( Nepali language, Nepali/ mai, मधेश प्रदेश) is a Provinces of Nepal, province of Nepal that was formed after the adoption of the Constitution of Nepal. It is Nepal's most populous province, and smallest prov ...

-based

political parties in Nepal The following is the list of political parties in Nepal registered in the Election Commission. National parties A party registered with the Election Commission of Nepal is recognised as a national party only if it fulfils the two conditions ...

created for the

Madhes Movement Madhesh Movement ( Nepali: मधेस अान्दोलन) was a political movement launched by various political parties, especially those based in Madhes, for equal rights, dignity and identity of Madhesis Tharus, Muslims and Janjati ...

. It was formed in 2008 by

Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal may refer to several political parties in Nepal: * Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal * Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal (Loktantrik) * Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Madhesh Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Madhesh is a poli ...

Nepal Sadbhavana Party The Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP; ne, नेपाल सदभावना पार्टी) was a political party in Nepal that worked for rights of the Madhesi people and discriminated communities and groups of Nepal. On 21 April 2017, the ...

and Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party.

History

Madhesh Movement II (2007–08)

On 17 December 2007,

led by

Upendra Yadav Upendra Yadav (; born 12 November 1960) is a Nepali people, Nepalese politician who has served as the chairman of the People's Socialist Party, Nepal since 2020. He served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal under the government of KP Sharma Ol ...

and Nepal Sadbhvana Party led by

Rajendra Mahato Rajendra Mahato (; born 19 November 1958) is a Nepalese politician, who was serving as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development since 4 June 2021 but was removed from the post by Supreme Court on 22 June 2021 making the ten ...

announced a protest programme with a nine-point demand. The two parties announced three-week long joint agitation in the Terai region starting from 26 December. The two-party alliance was initially known as the United Madhesi Front and called for the government to implement the 22-point demand that had been signed with MJFN in the first Madhesh movement. On 9 February 2008, the

Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party The Terai–Madhesh Loktantrik Party ( ne, तराई-मधेस लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी (तमलोपा)) is a political party in Nepal. Although the party's primary base is still in Terai Madhesh of Madhe ...

joined the United Madhesi Front and the United Democratic Madhesi Front was formed. The front wanted the government to declare an

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

Madhesh province in the

Terai region , image =Terai nepal.jpg , image_size = , image_alt = , caption =Aerial view of Terai plains near Biratnagar, Nepal , map = , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , biogeographic_realm = Indomalayan realm , global200 = Terai-Duar savanna a ...

of Nepal. The front also wanted the Election Commission Act be amended to increase inclusiveness of Madhesis, Janajatis and

Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the Caste system in India, castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold Varna (Hinduism), varna syste ...

s in state organs including the

Nepal Army The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see ''Gorkhas''), is the land service branch ...

. On February 28, 2008, UDMF signed an 8-point deal with the government of Nepal, ending a 16-day

general strike A general strike refers to a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large co ...

in the Tarai areas. The government and the front agreed to establish a federal democratic republic, declare an

Madhesh, ensure proportional representation for marginalised communities in

, declare the people killed in the agitation as martyrs and provide free medical treatment to the injured. Through signing the deal, the UDMF agreed to participate in the Constituent Assembly election. In June 2008, the three parties agreed to revive the front, following the holding of the election.

Madhesh Movement III (2015–16)

The UDMF was reformed by Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal, Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Republican), Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal (Democratic), Nepal Sadbhawna Party, Rastriya Madhesh Samajbadi Party, Sadbhawana Party,

and Terai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party. The alliance was formed against the proposed province demarcation by the major political parties. The alliance said that the proposed demarcation violated the previous agreements that had been signed between them during the first and second Madhesh movement that ensured a single Madhesh province. Forum Democratic was expelled from the alliance on 15 June 2015 after the party signed an agreement with the government. The Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal later merged with Federal Socialist Party, Nepal and Khas Samabeshi Party to form

Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal The Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal ( ne, संघीय समाजवादी फोरम, नेपाल; abbreviated FSFN) was a democratic socialist political party in Nepal. The party was formed on 15 June 2015 from the merger of the Ma ...

but stayed on as a member of the front. The prolonged agitation in the Terai region that borders India also led to the 2015 Nepal blockade, the UDMF offered to lift the blockade only after their demands for constitution amendment was made.

Elections (2017)

In early 2017, the alliance also protested the Local Level Restructuring Commission Report and the Constituency Delimitation Commission report accusing them of bias. The alliance also announced a boycott of the 2017 local,

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

and provincial elections until their demands for constitutional amendment was met. FSFN however contested the local elections though still demanded constitution amendment be made before the second phase of local elections. Six of the seven constituents of the alliance, barring

, later merged to form the

Rastriya Janata Party Nepal The Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal, abbr. ''RJPN'' ( ne, राष्ट्रिय जनता पार्टी, नेपाल, translation: National People's Party, Nepal) was the fourth-largest political party in Nepal after the Nepali Co ...

on 21 April 2017. The constituents of RJPN which had boycotted the first two phases of the local election later participated in the third phase of local elections.

Electoral performance

The parties did not have an electoral alliance for the 2008 and 2013 Constituent Assembly elections but the

and

had an electoral alliance for the 2017 general and provincial elections.

Legislative elections

Provincial elections

References

{{Reflist Political party alliances in Nepal