Upendra Yadav

Upendra Yadav is a Nepalese politician and Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), an organisation that works for Madhesi interests. His political party came to prominence after it created many strikes in the Terai, the plains that lie in the southern part of Nepal. His party had scuffles and minor fights with the Maoists in which more than a dozen Maoist cadres were killed. Before creating the Forum, Upendra Yadav was a Maoist cadre. It seems like he saw more potential in raising the Madhes issue independently without the Maoists, which comprises mostly of the people from the hills as its leaders.

He and his party have demanded autonomy for the Terai Region of Nepal, in addition to a proportional electoral system and an end to discrimination. [ [http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/2007/englishweekly/telegraph/feb/feb14/5question.php "Madhesi demands neither is aimed at “separatism” nor for disturbing “communal harmony” - Upendra Yadav, President, Madheshi Janadhikar Forum , Nepal"] , "The Weekly Telegraph" (Nepalnews.com), February 14, 2007.]

Following the April 2008 Constituent Assembly election, the MJF agreed to join a government headed by Prachanda, the Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Yadav was subsequently appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and sworn in on August 22 2008; he was one of four MJF members included in the Cabinet. [ [http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/aug/aug22/news07.php "Cabinet formed including MJF, UML fails to join"] , Nepalnews, August 22, 2008.]

References