COVER STORY (Spotlight Weekly)

Back At The Helms

More than fifty percent of young parliament members of Nepali Congress rejected the call of outgoing Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to choose youth leader by electing the septuagenarian party President Girija Prasad Koirala as their parliamentary leader. Though Koirala has defeated Bhattarai's protege Sher Bahadur Deuba, in the first round, whether his government lasts full term and deliver the goods remains to be seen

By KESHAB POUDEL

With the support from youth MPs, Girija Prasad Koirala swore-in for the fourth time as the Prime Minister of the country. But, managing the power this time will not be bed of roses for a leader unaccustomed to the compromises of politics. If he fails to strike a balance in the party and the government, Koirala's dream could turn sour any time.

The trouble of Koirala has already begun as the cabinet formation has failed to satisfy all his friends and foes in the party.

In a weak prime ministerial institution, as it is now in the country, whoever the Prime Minister may be, has to kneel down in front of MPs to save the government.

Despite a comfortable support in the parliamentary party, Koirala's job of keeping his flock together will not be easy either -- with ambitious leaders on both sides hatching conspiracies against him soon after he failed to satisfy them.

Koirala's image may be ruined if he compromises with the ambitious MPs just to remain in power. In the last leg of his politics, Koirala will have to take some drastic decisions if he wants to prove that he is capable and strong in the party.

Rejecting Bhattarai's call for younger leadership, a large number of youth MPs voted septuagenarian leader Koirala hoping that only he could provide a strong leadership. Although Koirala secured 69 vote against 43 of his rival Sher Bahadur deuba, there are no winners in this round of political uncertainty.

If Koirala fails to balance the party, political career of Koirala may get a similar beating like that of Bhattarai in the number games of parliamentary party. For now, as he is also the President of Congress party, Koirala enjoys some advantages over Bhattarai.

Challenges before Koirala are also enormous. One cannot rule out the possibility of his fall if he fails to fulfill their aspiration. "Right now, we are watching the Koirala government closely. If he fails to accommodate the Bhattarai-loyalists in the party as well as in the government, the situation could turn serious," threatened Chiranjibi Wagle, former Minister.

In his first tenure, Koirala proved as a capable and strong leader in the Congress because then he had a long stick to maintain discipline in the party and parliament. But after the Supreme Court's interpretation about the Prime Minister's prerogative to dissolve the Parliament, the long stick is broken and so is the sense of stability.

Unlike previous times, Koirala's fourth tenure as the Prime Minister will be very different as he will have to face a formidable opposition within the party backed by his arch rival Bhattarai. Grouping Koirala's opponents under an umbrella, Bhattarai has already proposed former Prime Minister Deuba as his heir.

Although Koirala knows the art of running the government as he has learnt it during his previous tenures, the cool response of his party opponents reflects the challenges.

Koirala's opponents have already boycotted two functions addressed by him. "Bhattarai and his loyalists are waiting for a proper time to strike at the Koirala government," said a political analyst.

Unpredictable Bhattarai who is in the last leg of his political life will make every attempt to make Koirala unsuccessful.

At a time when Koirala has to deal with national problems, the grouping within the party against him may disrupt his actions. Koirala's every small mistakes may cost him the coveted chair and push the country to the next round of uncertainties.

The question now is : How will Koirala utilize his tenure and provide the much needed political stability to the country.

Koirala has to satisfy the two fronts. On one hand youth Congress MPs voted Koirala with a hope to have a strong and dynamic leadership who can deliver the goods and maintain law and order. While on the other hand he will have to appease the sizable number of MPs who did not vote him. Above all, Koirala will have to justify the reasons for dislodging Bhattarai and keep the promises he has made while replacing him.

"The country will have better administration under the leadership of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala," said Mahadev Gurung, a youth Congress MP.

Most of the present Congress lawmakers are young. Ninety-one of them are below 49 years of age, 17 over 51, and there are only 3 MPs who are over 71 years of age including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala (75) and Krishna Prasad Bhattari (74). (See box)

Congress MPs on the basis of age

Age	group	No of MPs
71	80	3
61	70	2
51	60	17
41	50	58
31	40	33

Even after Koirala's election as the NCPP leader, the government will be equally unstable as his opponent Deuba is very close behind in the number game.

If Koirala survives for long, it will be a government exposed to unreasonable pressures from new backers and his opponent Bhattarai.

Despite his many drawbacks, Koirala can be regarded as the Congress leader who broke the concept of collective leadership. His moves in the past snapped then troika leadership after the first general elections. By elbowing out Ganesh Man Singh in 1994 and now by sending Bhattarai out of the political game, Koirala has effectively established the one-man leadership in the party.

As soon as Congress formed the government in 1991 under Koirala's leadership, the concept of collective leadership in Congress started to disintegrate. Trouble began following the interference of the party executive in the functioning of the government.

Past history has shown that the dispute continued as long as two individuals held two different positions. Even after the formation of the Bhattarai government, the government accused the party interfering unnecessarily on the day to day function and party accused the government of not abiding the party's decision.

"Political party is a coalition within and it represents ambitions of each individual members. The duty of a political leader is to accommodate all these interests," said a political analyst.

Even in the formation of the government, party wanted its privileges while the Prime Minister saw it as a direct interference to his executive authority.

After the elections of the Koirala, same man is at the helms of both the post now. Koirala now will have to mobilize the party as well as run the government.

During the interim period (in 1990) too, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai ran the government smoothly since he held both the post then. The problem appeared only after it was distributed to two strong personalities. In 1991 when Koirala was the Prime Minister and Bhattarai was the Party President, the trouble took a fresh turn. The tension culminated with the dissolution of the Parliament and call for the mid term election in 1994.

The NCPP election showed that former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is now the alternative to Koirala as there is a strong opposition inside the party. Koirala will have to compromise with Deuba who leads the formidable opposition.

"Girijababu has many challenges. One of the major challenges before Girijababu is how to translate the democratic practices in reality. There is a need to change his working style. I am worried about how to establish the democratic practices in the internal democratic process of the party," said Narahari Acharya spokesman of Nepali Congress. "The challenges of the government is to start the work at the point when MPs started criticizing the Bhattarai government. He cannot work as if this is a fresh government."

Although Prime Minister Koirala claimed his government will last its full term, no one is willing to buy that. In the absence of the "long stick" to discipline the party and the parliament, Koirala may also have to bow down to unnecessary pressures from within and outside his party.

The immediate challenge to the government led by Koirala is to come up with a magic formula to maintain balance in the cabinet respecting the ethnic, regional and factional balances in the party. "The formation of cabinet will be his first test which will determine the longevity of the government," said a political analyst.

Another challenge is the deteriorating law and order situation. The law and order has virtually collapsed and there is an apparent lack of coordination among different ministries.

Koirala's other priority will be to rebuild his image, get back some of his old colleagues and reduce the influence of former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in the party and the government.

After the resignation of Bhattarai and the elections of parliamentary party leader, Congress party is hit by the rebel storm.

Even during the crucial hour of crisis, some party leaders from both factions were set on hitting out at the betrayal. Sources say exposing Deuba-Bhattarai against whom they claim to have a lot of information will be an all out effort.

While aware that it is going to be an uphill task to tame Bhattarai, Koirala loyalists are confident that his strong leadership can pull most of Bhattarai's sympathizers from the Bhattarai-Deuba camp.

"Constructive role of majority and minority will strengthen the party. Majority and minority is not the factor that weakens the party but the exploitation of majority and minority does," said advocate Sunil Adhikary.

Some in the Congress feel that Bhattarai-Deuba front may kick off trouble to the new government as soon as Koirala starts his business. "The flock of MPs who voted Deuba is adequate to put pressures on Koirala. After the cabinet expansion, some dissatisfied MPs may join anti-Koirala camp," said an analyst.

Bhattarai is plotting to lure adequate inside support to pull down the Koirala-led government possibly within a very short span of time to pave way for Sher Bahadur Deuba as the next Prime Minister. Bhattarai is licking his wounds and would like to settle scores with Koirala for refusing to give him some more time to run the country.

"Even though Bhattarai was a leader with majority in the parliament, his government was toppled down due to internal bickering. The constitution had equipped him with a power to maintain the stability of the government by seeking fresh mandate of the people through the dissolution of House. The conflicting interpretations have made Prime Minister handicapped and position of the Prime Minister remains unstable. We now have a stable parliament and unstable government in practice," said a constitutional lawyer.

As Koirala became the Prime Minister once again, in a weakened institution, it will be difficult for him to discipline the party and give a stable government.

Koirala's option:

Taking harsh decision: Koirala may work out some plans to reduce the ministries including the number of ministers. But the task is easier said than done as he will be compelled to strike ethnic, regional as well as factional balance in the cabinet.

Bull's Eye: Support from Khum Bahadur Khadka and Govinda

Raj Joshi helped Koirala win a majority in the parliamentary party. Koirala may have to pay a price for that.

Start some new works: Koirala may start some clean up campaigns in the administration including to contain the Maoist movement and ask Deuba to continue the talk with Maoists.

Cracking Bhattarai's support base: Koirala will have to lure more supporters from Bhattarai camp while keeping his flock of supporters together.

The Failure : If Koirala doesn't dislodge Bhattari, he will cut a sorry figure.

The Price : An alternative rag-tag arrangement will undermine Koirala's long-haul strategy to rebuild Congress.

The Risk : Koirala government will be vulnerable as it will be the target of conflicting demands from its supporters as well as rivals.

The Compromise : If Koirala sets ties with Deuba and Bhattari, they will give him longer life but he will become a figure of ridicule.

The End : Losing power will be blamed to manage a party. Koirala's reputation will suffer once again.

Cause of Bhattarai's Fall

Protection of Bal Bahadur KC: He protected Bal Bahadur KC citing lack of evidence even though press reports gave strong proof of the Minister in question breaking into the house of a lady at midnight in November.

FM Resigns: Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya resigned in the aftermath of controversial appointment of Nepal Rastra Bank governor.

Deputy Prime Minister: Appointment of Ram Chandra Poudel as Deputy Prime Minister in a bid to elongate his tenure and subsequent resignation of Education Minister Yog Prasad Upadhyaya.

Controversial appointment of different officials: Appointment of more than 1,000 employees at different positions including Kaushal Raj Regmi as the vice president of Higher Secondary Education Board that ignited internal rivalry in the board inviting uncertainty over the 10 plus two education. Bhattarai appointed Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat and Minendra Rijal as members of National Planning Commission at the twilight of his tenure.

Illegal Sacking : Supports the unreasonable sacking of employees at the Nepal Electricity Authority and General Manager of Nepal Water Supply Corporation.

Bhattarai's Farewell Statement
Bitter Swansong

Bhattarai denounces his party colleagues and the party itself in his farewell statement in the Parliament

By KESHAB POUDEL

Although he has sacrificed more than five decades of his life to strengthen the party, Bhattarai finally ended his political career denouncing his party colleagues and party.

The words used in Bhattarai's statement were full of legal jargons and stark criticisms against the party.

In his emotionally charged speech carried live on Radio and Television, Bhattarai took a swipe at Koirala for dislodging him.

"Politics in multi party democracy and partyless system are different. But some characters in our politics seem to have taken the both as similar. In a democratic system, aspects of values and morality are powerful and in their absence the whole system becomes weak. We become the cause of the crisis if we harbor unconstitutional and uncontrolled ambition."

Can a leader of Bhattarai's stature write such statement which denounces his own party and its history is a matter of investigation. If he did not the write it, who did? "Listening to the statement, I think it is dictated by a well-known former Chief Justice," said Kedar Subedi, executive editor of Bimarsha vernacular weekly.

Defending himself, Bhattarai, in the statement, accused his party colleagues. "I have suffered several plots and was the victim of conspiracies and sabotages in my bid to become a true democrat and nationalist. I caution all the democrats, especially my friends in Nepali Congress to be aware about losing our mission," it stated. "I am talking about this not to protect my leadership as Prime Minister, which is at stake now."

Although the grapevines are abuzz that the ghost-writer of the statement is none other than Pradeep Giri, former MP and close aide of Bhattarai, many are unwilling to buy the claim. They say that since the statement is so well blended with legal terminologies, it could not have written by Giri alone.

"We have amongst ourselves, people who are untarnished. We have a generation of these time-tested leaders whose democratic credentials are impeccable. But attempts to present them lightly and degradingly, I caution, is a conspiracy against Nepali Congress to destabilize its leadership. I am ready and willing to pay any price. In the past also I have suffered insults and bitterness in my attempt to ensure party unity," the statement further reads.

Bhattari's life is full of stuffs that make bestselling potboilers. A bachelor politician, he is known as one of the most egoist in Nepali Congress.

Now at the fag end of his political career, Bhattarai is preaching anti-corruption slogan from atop a beautiful bungalow in Bhainsepati. A man who today has the power to make or break governments.