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Kathmandu Wednesday January 02, 2002 Paush 18, 2058.
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NC convention : Retrospect and
prospect
By Jal Singh
A11 years are on the 10th Nepali Congress
General Convention slated to be held from January 19 -22, 2001 in Pokhara where 1,500
convention representatives will elect the Party President and the 18 Central Working
Committee (CWC) members. Recently, the CWC of the governing Nepali Congress (NC) endorsed
a draft to amend the party constitution that proposes electing half the members of this
apex body. In the past only five members from each of the development regions plus the
party president were elected while the remaining members were nominated by the party
president. The draft also outlines an increase in the number of CWC members to 37 from the
present 31. It also proposes to form a coordination committee in all five development
regions including at least one woman General Convention member each from each of the
zones.
From Kalbalgudi of Jhapa to Kathmandu and to
Pokhara this year, much water has flowed down the river and with it has arisen the
question of delegating the NC leadership to the young generation. But what does young
generation literally mean? The present convention will categorically define and determine
who are young who are old, it is expected. In the last few weeks, the Koirala camp has
managed to get the required number of parliamentarians on its side, but the support may
not last long. The manner in which the Deuba camp abstained from voting, giving Koirala a
victory by default, also shows that Koirala will have a tough time ahead. In the last
week, PM Koirala and NC President Koirala invited his party MPs for tea. The same evening,
Koirala’s competitor and leader-in-waiting Sher Bahadur Deuba invited his loyalists
for dinner. Now it seems that the stomach rather than brains and principles will rule the
NC.
Even after a decade since the restoration of
democracy in Nepal, the NC lacks vision and a clear-cut policy and strategy in order to
achieve its objective. The reason seems to be a sad lacking in harmonious relationship
between the agreed principles of socialism and democracy. This does not bode well for the
party’s future. Considering the next general elections and the law and order
situation in the country, the government and the CWC will need to think seriously about
the relationship.
Prime Minister Koirala is standing on shaky
ground. The reason can be attributed to the rivalry that has surfaced once again within
the NC. In spite of the much touted unity in the party, it is wracked by infighting.
Koirala has had to deal with criticisms all round. Koirala's own party members have spoken
out against him time and again.
Time and again, Koirala has been accused of
taking unilateral decisions, aggravating caste and communal feelings, of being obstinate
and rigid, and functioning in a partisan way. Caste conflicts have been aggravated because
of the personal rivalries for party leadership. It is charged that the Koirala government
has been ignoring the interests of particular castes. This appears to be a dangerous
trend. Because of disputes within the party, the enthusiasm for democracy can become
diluted. There was an impression in certain sections that a situation similar to that of
1960 was gradually brewing within the party. However, differences seem to have subsided
for a while. It is expected that at the 10th General Convention, they will come up again
with force.
Just to recapitulate, as a result of BP
Koirala’s call for a united struggle against the Rana regime, Akhil Bharatiya Nepal
Rashtriya Congress was formed in Varanasi on October 31, 1946. The first convention of the
party held in Calcutta from January 24-26 1947 dropped the words Akhil Bharatiya and
renamed the party as "Nepali Rashtriya Congress". The party aimed at
establishing a democratic and responsible government in Nepal after overthrowing the
autocratic Rana rule. It also decided to launch a movement against the Ranas, but it was
suppressed.
On the eve of the 10th General Convention, I
would like to recall the Kalbalgudi Convention. During that occasion PM Koirala was
attacked by the party supremo, expressing his feelings of anguish, and warning of his
retirement from politics unless Koirala was removed from the government. Two conventions
have been held since and the NC is still fighting over the issue of leadership. To be good
does not merely mean to be obedient and harmless; goodness without ability is lame; and
all virtue in the world will not save us if we lack intelligence. Ignorance is not bliss.
Only intelligence can help us in shaping our fates. The Nepali Congress party should learn
from this philosophy.
Politics as such is ambition, politics is
ego, politics is aggression and politics is violence. Some people even say that criminals
and politicians are the same. If a criminal becomes successful, he also becomes a great
leader. To some extent this seems to be true. But most of us do not accept this. A cursory
review of history shows that the formation of the NC was mainly due to the atrocities of
the Rana rulers in Nepal. Internal strife and dissension in the NC have been prevalent and
become public in recent years. The NC, which has formed the government, was expected to
give the country resolute, efficient and progressive governance.
Rifts within the NC after the formation of
the government started with Koirala’s move to reorganize the Council of Ministers by
sacking six ministers in December 1991. This brought a crisis in the party. At that time
the then ruling party president said that he had learned about the reshuffle only the
through the media.
Koirala again offered his resignation in
February 1992, calling upon the second generation to lead the party, and an open rupture
between the party and the government could then hardly be averted. The present premier is
the ninth in ten years since the restoration of democracy in Nepal. Koirala now heads the
government for the fourth time.
Former prime minister Deuba is contesting
against Koirala for the coveted post of party president at the forthcoming General
Convention. The manner in which personal differences and infighting among party leaders
surfaced soon after the general elections, and the ousting of KP Bhattarai are not at all
a healthy trend. An impression is growing that if the intra-party wrangling continues, it
will not only encourage the forces of destabilization, either the Maoists or the
communalities, but will also destroy the whole objective of social-economic
reconstruction. The public will be disillusioned with democracy completely.
Koirala must have realized that he was standing
against a formidable opponent. Koirala’s candidacy has created a controversy within
the NC. Subsequently, he was not accepted as a consensus candidate. Deuba, who some say is
the least remembered PM in Nepal, is struggling hard to take over the post of either party
president or PM. What does Deuba have that Koirala doesn’t? Rather than giving fiery
speeches he should look at himself in the mirror first, and assess his dealings while he
was PM. Now it is alleged that the UNDP/Nepal office is influenced and inspired by the
Deuba camp. This remains to be seen. Whether the claim is true or not, it is a matter to
be investigated. The question of handling over party leadership to the second generation
leaders has been rising .
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