Kathmandu, Aug. 21 -- As new forces gain ground in Nepal's political landscape, Madhesh-based regional parties remain caught in their familiar cycle of splits and alliances.

Most recently, Ashok Rai's Janata Samajbadi Party and Rajendra Mahato's Rastriya Mukti Party forged a "unity-oriented working alliance", which observers view as a fracture in the Federal Democratic Front formed in April.

The Rai-led JSP was formed after splitting from the Upendra Yadav-led Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal (JSP-N) in May last year while Rajendra Mahato formed the Rastriya Mukti Party in January after separating from the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) led by Mahantha Thakur.

On August 14, Rai and Mahato inked a working alliance amid a programme in Kath...