Uma Shankar Aragriya (Nepali: उमाशंकर अरगरिया) is a Nepalese politician belonging to the CPN (UML) who served as the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation since 4 June 2021 but was removed from the post by Supreme Court on 22 June 2021 making his tenure of just 18 days one of the shortest till date (the shortest being that of Raj Kishor Yadav).[2] He was also a member of the 1st Federal Parliament of Nepal after winning in 2017 Nepalese general election from Dhanusha 2 constituency.[3] Arglariya formerly a popular leader, is thought to join Nepali Congress as his party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party went clean swept in Dhanusha district in recent local level election.
Uma Shankar Aragriya | |
|---|---|
| उमाशंकर अरगरिया | |
| Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation | |
| In office 4 June 2021 – 22 June 2021 | |
| President | Bidya Devi Bhandari |
| Prime Minister | KP Sharma Oli |
| Preceded by | Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal |
| Succeeded by | Lila Nath Shrestha |
| Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha | |
| In office 4 March 2018 – 18 September 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Ram Krishna Yadav |
| Succeeded by | Ram Krishna Yadav |
| Constituency | Dhanusha 2 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 October 1977[1] Dhanusha District |
| Nationality | Nepali |
| Political party | CPN (UML) (2022–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | Nilam Devi Agrariya |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
Political life
editHis father was an active member of Nepali Congress while Agariya also remained in Nepali Congress till 2008 when he went to Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal led by Upendra Yadav with the present vice-president of Nepali Congress Bijay Kumar Gachhadar. In 2009, when the party divided into factions, he came to Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) led by Bijay Kumar Gachhadar. The party went through a series of mergers in 2017 to form Nepal Loktantrik Forum and finally joined Nepali Congress.[4]
Argariya was the president of Madhesh Province committee of Nepal Loktantrik Forum. Still, he couldn't live long with Gachhadar after the merger with Nepali Congress. He joined FSF-N to contest the election from Dhanusha-2 to get profit out of the legacy of second Madhesh Movement. In 2019, Naya Shakti Party, Nepal and Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal merger to form Samajbadi Party, Nepal. He had a dispute with leadership there and he along with some other HOR members was in contact with Mahesh Basnet to break the party with 40% HOR members from the SP-N political party. An ordinance was brought for the same.[5] Still, this plan was left unsuccessful after Rastriya Janta Party, Nepal and Samajbadi Party, Nepal merged to form Janta Samajbadi Party, Nepal.[6]
After the merger, Argariya sided with Mahantha Thakur faction in the party at various points in time.[7] On 4 June 2021, joined the government as Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Still, he was removed by the Supreme Court of Nepal on 22 June 2021 making the tenure just 18 days which is the smallest to date in history.
In an interview with Ratopati, he said it was clear that he could even join Nepali Congress as he holds a past there.[8] This is because of increased dissatisfaction within Janata Samajbadi Party, the consensus for the party is thought to have highly decreased among the public in Terai of Nepal. Previously, FSF-N and RJP-N unitedly had contested 2017 election with the promise that they would work to fulfil the demand of Terai. Still, none of the promises was fulfilled and now four years have passed with By-election date fixed. He said, there was no use of Madhesh Based party if they dedicate themself to same leadership against whom they had raised voice to win the election. He said he would leave Mahantha Thakur now after Nepali Congress government would be formed and join as a minister to work for the public.[9] He also yelled that Gachhadar had proposed him to join NC government led by Deuba in 2017. He was also promised to be made member of HOR from proportional list of Nepali Congress.[10]
Electoral history
edit| Dhanusha 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | |
| Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal | Umashankar Argariya | 32,044 | |
| CPN (Maoist Centre) | Ram Chandra Jha | 18,715 | |
| Nepali Congress | Ram Krishna Yadav | 15,442 | |
| Others | 1,822 | ||
| Invalid votes | 3,648 | ||
| Result | FSFN gain | ||
| Source: Election Commission | |||
| Dhanusha 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | |
| Nepali Congress | Dinesh Prasad Parsaila Yadav | 8,827 | |
| Independent | Jog Kumar Barbariya Yadav | 7,946 | |
| UCPN (Maoist) | Ram Chandra Jha | 5,310 | |
| CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Ratneshwor Goit Yadav | 4,175 | |
| Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal (Democratic) | Uma Shankar Argariya | 3,137 | |
| Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal | Arun Singh Mandal Dhanuk | 1,327 | |
| Others | 4,085 | ||
| Result | Congress gain | ||
| Source: NepalNews[11] | |||
References
edit- ^ संघीय संसद सदस्य, २०७४ परिचयात्मक पुस्तिका [Federal Parliament Members 2017 Introduction Booklet] (PDF) (in Nepali). Nepal: Federal Parliament Secretariat. 2021. p. 270.
- ^ "मन्त्रिपरिषद् विस्तारविरुद्ध सर्वोच्चको अन्तरिम आदेश : २० मन्त्री जिम्मेवारीमुक्त (आदेशको पूर्णपाठ)". मन्त्रिपरिषद् विस्तारविरुद्ध सर्वोच्चको अन्तरिम आदेश : २० मन्त्री जिम्मेवारीमुक्त (आदेशको पूर्णपाठ). Retrieved 2021-06-22.
- ^ Election Commission of Nepal
- ^ "Nepal Loktantrik Forum unifies with Nepali Congress". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Oli caused the formation of Janata Samajbadi. Now he is prompting its split". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ Sansar, Nepali (2020-04-23). "Nepali Samajwadi Party, RJPN Unite to Form 'Janata Samajbadi Party'". Nepali Sansar. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ SERVICE, HIMALAYAN NEWS (2021-05-30). "JSP-N rift widens as both chiefs seek clarifications". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ रातोपाटी. "क्लियर कुरा हो, म काँग्रेसमा पनि जानसक्छु : उमाशंकर अरगरिया (भिडियो वार्ता )". RatoPati (in Nepali). Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ संवाददाता, सार्वजनिक (2021-06-23). "कांग्रेसको सरकार बन्दैछ, म पनि कांग्रेस पार्टीमा जान्छु र फेरि मन्त्री खान्छुः अरगरिया". Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ संवाददाता, सार्वजनिक (2021-06-23). "कांग्रेसको सरकार बन्दैछ, म पनि कांग्रेस पार्टीमा जान्छु र फेरि मन्त्री खान्छुः अरगरिया". Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Nepalnews.com - News from Nepal as it happens". 2015-03-25. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2020-11-23.