Kathmandu, March 15 -- based parties, despite frequent splits and reunifications, maintained a noticeable presence in national politics and in Parliament for much of the past two decades. However, the recently held parliamentary elections have wiped them off the electoral map.

Of the 275 seats in the House of Representatives, 32 come from the eight districts of Madhesh Province under direct election. Yet, in the latest election the Madhesh-based parties won none of the seats in their traditional stronghold.

Madhesh-based political analyst Tula Narayan Shah outlines some basic factors for the wipeout of the regional parties in this election. Nepali politics championed the agenda of democracy from 1990 to 2006, whereas identity politics d...