Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal

The Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal (लोकतान्त्रिक समाजवादी पार्टी), is the sixth largest political party in Nepal. The party was officially registered at Election Commission, Nepal on 18 August 2021. Mahantha Thakur is the president of the new party. The party was formed after split in PSP-N to join KP Oli led government. Currently, the party stands as the fourth largest party of Madhesh province after Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Janata Samajbadi respectively.

As of August 2022, the party is a junior ally in the Nepali Congress-led Deuba government along with CPN (Maoist Centre), PSP-N, and CPN (Unified Socialist). The party's election symbol is a bicycle.

Ideology
Ideologically, the party is close to the Nepali Congress, while majority of leaders were formerly Congress at different point in time, especially before the 2006 Madhesh Movement. Party president Mahantha Thakur and senior leader Sharat Singh Bhandari were popular Congress men at a time while Thakur was treasurer and head of party disciplinary department before he left the party. They were elected several times to the House of Representatives on the party ticket.

The party follows the norms of social democracy, democratic socialism, identity and Madhesi rights.

Registration
The President of Nepal issued the second ordinance to amend the Political Parties Act on 18 August 2021. This opened the way to formalize the splits inside the dispute between two factions of Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal. The faction of party led by Mahantha Thakur, which had a long dispute with party chairman Upendra Yadav, registered their party with the Election Commission. At the time of the launch, the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal (Loktantrik) claimed to have 15 members in the two national houses of parliament.

A Central Committee with 24 members was announced as well.

First local election
The party went split just ahead of local elections forming Nagrik Unmukti Party in western terai and Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party in eastern terai. This caused a huge loss to party. The party was clean swept from Dhanusha district, Siraha district and Tharuhath region. The party was limited to fourth largest party of Madhesh province winning just 15 local levels from among 753 compared to 25 won by Rastriya Janata Party in 2017. Nepali Congress emerged as single largest party of Madhesh province for second consecutive term while CPN (UML) emerged as second and Janta Samajbadi was limited to third position. The party won 16 local levels even though it had stood alone in the elections.

First general election
In the mid of March, the party started talks with the Nepali Congress for a possible long term alliance between the two parties. Party chairman revealed this in a party meet in Janakpur on 22 March 2022. The party formed a committee for bilateral talks with Nepali Congress consisting Sharbendra Nath Shukla and Laxman Lal Karna in which party senior leader Sharat Singh Bhandari played vital role as mediator.

Bhandari had stood long for a Loktantrik alliance between democratic parties of Nepal. Both Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and Nepali Congress have some common ideologies including social democracy, democratic socialism. Many made a meaning that this was possible as majority leaders in the party were from Nepali Congress background except Rajendra Mahato who was near to KP Sharma Oli and CPN (UML).

The party won 9 seats in Madhesh province while it won 3 seats in Lumbini province. However, in the general election it was limited to 4 seats only after being unable to cross 3% threshold.

Chairmen

 * Mahantha Thakur (2021–present)