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VOL. 27, NO. 23, February 15, 2007 (Falgun 03 2064 B.S.)
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Winds Of Change
Less than two years after a momentous event, politics appears poised for a different turn
By SUSHIL SHARMA
Only two months remain for the constituent assembly elections. But the April 10 elections still remain a subject of speculation.
Fed up, the man supposed to hold the elections sought early this week to brush aside the doubters.
“Election will be held at any cost. Don’t talk negative about it.” thundered Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala – one more time.
He spoke the same language before the June and November deadlines last year.
During their recent whirlwind tour of the Terai and the Hills, senior Nepali Congress leaders, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Sushil Koirala, too tried to sound optimistic.
Back in Kathmandu, their language had changed. “The security situation across the country is too poor to hold a free and fair election,” said the officiating vice-president of the party, Koirala.
Former prime minister Deuba went a step further, “under the present security situation in Terai, election is not possible.”
Both blamed the Maoists.
Until recently, the Maoists saw the monarchy as the major stumbling block to the polls.
After a recent amendment in the interim constitution effectively suspended – if not eliminated altogether – the monarchy, they appear to believe that they have removed the block.
Now, they have begun to see ‘foreign hand’ in scuttling the elections.
Some suspected that recent royal interviews could be used as an excuse to formally get rid of the monarchy ahead of the polls.
The suspicion has proved wrong.
The interviews, according to Maoist supremo Prachanda, violated the interim constitution.
Surprisingly, though, they did not invite the wrath for the Narayanhity palace the way a traditional democracy-day statement did last year.
Signs of the changing winds, perhaps.
There are similar signs on another front.
Discernible observers point out that key foreign powers were having a re-think on their Nepal policy.
They say, ‘check the over ambitious king’ has been replaced lately by ‘tame the unpredictable red brigade.’
Maoists and the mainstream parliamentary parties came together to ‘check’ the king.
The move did succeed. That was two years ago.
The tables have turned now. Knowledgeable sources say, “key powers have begun a re-think on their Nepal policy.”
A deal on taming the Maoists appear to be in the making.
Intense diplomatic moves are underway for the purpose.
The flurry of private and officials visits of influential figures to and from Kathmandu in recent weeks is reportedly aimed at that direction.
Election is only one – and NOT THE ONLY -- option being considered to achieve the objective.
Insiders say, prime minister Koirala is not unaware. Nor is Prachanda. Nor, for that matter, king Gyanendra.
In the dark are only ‘the sovereign’ people whose voting rights remain suspended for the ninth year this year.
