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CONGRESS
POLITICS |
Koirala In Trouble After the dismissal of Khum Bahadur Khadka, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's six month old government is in trouble By KESHAB POUDEL Unless the Prime Minister has the authority to discipline members of parliament, political status and strength of the Prime Minister will not have any sting. In the last one year, humiliating situation faced by two strongest leaders of Nepali Congress in front of their junior colleagues shows how necessary it is for the Prime Minister to be equipped with certain authority.
In the absence of the power of dissolving of parliament, political leaders have to rely on the manoeuvreing and compromise to remain in power. The political strength and grasp at the grass root level is of least concern. In 1992 (2050) then Prime Minister Koirala dismissed seven heavy weight ministers including Taranath Ranabhat, Shekh Idris, Chiranjibi Wagle, Bashu Risal, Jagannath Acharya, Gopal Man Shrestha and Dhundi Raj Shastri at one stroke but his government survived. At that time Koirala took some major decisions although there was resistance from Ganesh Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Koirala's authority was unchallenged at that time. When group of 36 tried to push him to the brink, Koirala finally dissolved the House of Representatives. Today's Koirala is different as he is now seeking for a compromise formula to survive. His predecessor Sher Bahadur Deuba, too, had to take many unpopular decisions to retain his government. Despite severe political consequences, Koirala tried to retain his power by dismissing Khum Bahadur Khadka and upholding the political power of Prime Minister. As Prime Minister does not have backing for his decision, he has no option other than to compromise with many unholy demands of Bhattarai. "As long as Prime Minister's prerogative to dissolve the House of Representatives is not restored, Nepal will have to see many rounds of political instability. In the last five years, we have seen many rounds of political instability," said advocate Sunil Adhikary. Koirala who survived in 1992 after dismissal of seven ministers is rocked now just after dismissing a single member of the cabinet. Koirala's government is almost nearing a collapse and is forced to compromise with his bitter political rivals Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba. Many do not agree and blame Koirala solely for his unaccommodating stand for the recent political crisis. "If Koirala has to go to Bhattarai, what is wrong to compromise with Khum Bahadur Khadka," said a political analyst. "Politicians also need to have some sort of accommodative approach." Accommodation, too, has certain limits. When a cabinet member openly challenges the leadership, there could be no option. "When even leaders like Koirala and Bhattarai have to face such humiliation, what other youth leaders may have to accept to survive in power is anybody's guess," said youth Congress leader Shiva Bahadur Khadka. "The situation is such that any government can be easily destabilized from outside and inside forces." The interpretation of Constitution by Supreme Court in 1995 has changed the whole pattern of political process pushing the country into throes of unending political instability. As he cannot use his prerogative, Koirala now has two options in front of him. First he has to compromise with Khadka and realign with him and second to call the meeting of parliamentary party and seek the vote of confidence. If Koirala loses the confidence of parliamentary party, he has to resign and allow new leaders to take charge. If he wins the majority, his rivals will not have political guts to ask for his resignation. Koirala is said to have expressed similar remarks to his colleagues and his long time political friend former PM Krishna Prasad Bhattarai who is pressing Koirala for resignation. "Koirala must go in action rather than compromise with irrational demands of his political rivals," said a political analyst. "Koirala has to prove that he is different than Bhattarai." After Monday's meeting between Koirala and Bhattarai, the party spokesman Narahari Acharya has said that the internal dispute is over and that the two leaders have agreed to find out amicable solution. Koirala on his part has agreed to implement two of the five point demand forwarded by Bhattarai. He has agreed to reshuffle the cabinet and the party central committee. Right now, Koirala seems to have more advantage as he still holds the strong organizational influence. Although Koirala has strong influence in grass root level, in number game he may be pushed to minority any time. Large number of MPs who are closely associated with former minister Khadka are adamant to pull down Koirala. Bhattarai's five point demand from Koirala: 1. Reshuffle the cabinet KHUM BAHADUR KHADKA Former minister Khadka becomes the trouble maker in Congress politics Whenever there is a political crisis in Congress, former minister Khum Bahadur Khadka finds a prominent role to play swinging the power balance from this side to that When the coalition government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba faced the vote of no-confidence, Khadka helped to hide one of the members of Nepal Peasants and Worker Party Bhakta Bahadur Rokaya. When Deuba government sought the confidence of House, it was alleged that then Home Minister Khadka kept two Congress members Chakra Bahadur Shahi and Dipak Jung Shah at bay easing the toppling of the government. Khadka was once again the key player to pull down the government led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai last year. This time, Khadka now appears set to pull down the Koirala government. Khadka's name is even linked to the splitting the CPN-UML. UML leaders have openly alleged Khadka of helping split their party. Thus goes the list of Khadka's destructive politics. Alleged to be one of the most corrupt politicians, the basic characteristic of Khadka is that he can take decision. In the past, Khadka had re-appointed Inspector General of Police Achyut Krishna Kharel in a single move by removing then police chief Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan. Whichever ministry Khadka led, he did not hesitate to take harsh decisions. After holding the ministry of water resources, Khadka issued hydro power license to more than a dozen of private sector companies including one for Arun III project. Close associated call Khadka is a man of action. In the internal congress politics, Khadka had always sided with Koirala family. He had returned to the country along with Girija Prasad Koirala after nearly eight year long exile. Khadka - who was elected from Dang district in all of the last three elections -is quite popular at the grass root level among party workers. Congress leaders like Govinda Raj Joshi, Sushil Koirala, Laxman Ghimire and J.P. Ananda Gupta are said to be behind the present episode to create misunderstanding between PM Koirala and Khadka. Even today, Prakash Koirala and Nona Koirala are supporting Khadka. Chronology of Khadka Episode - July 22 Khum Bahadur Organized Picnic at
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