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‘A Great Injustice Has Been Corrected’ — RAJENDRA LOHANI RAJENDRA LOHANI of the main opposition CPN-UML regained his position as member of parliament after the Supreme Court reversed the decision of a lower court declaring his Rastriya Prajatantra Party rival Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani as the winner of the disputed election in Nuwakot Constituency No. 1. The UML’s Lohani spoke to SPOTLIGHT after the court decision. Excerpts: How do you see the Supreme Court's decision? Finally, I have received justice. The lower court’s decision to declare my rival the winner was a great injustice. After the lower court's decision, did you ever think you would regain your seat? I always knew that the Supreme Court would reverse the lower court's decision because it was complete injustice to me. A court cannot declare a candidate defeated by advancing its own logic. What will your role be in parliament? I will raise the problems of the people and follow the line taken by the CPN-UML. As a member of the CPN-UML, I will follow and abide by the party's decisions. Who will take responsibility for the damage done at the Lalitpur Appellate Court by your supporters last year? It was actually a spontaneous response of the people against the injustice committed by the court. The Supreme Court's decision has vindicated our stand. There is no need to be asking such questions now. Does this mean you believe in the system of justice now? Yes. The Supreme Court has shown that one can get justice in this country.
Deuba Doctrine Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba felt a great sense of relief after meeting with leaders of political parties on the issue of Armed Police Force Act and Local Development Amendment Act. Before presenting the bills in parliament, Deuba was said to have gone on a house-to-house campaign to lobby opposition support. After his request, all political parties agreed to support his bills. When he saw no opposition, he requested some radical communist leaders, including Lilamani Pokharel, to oppose it. Deuba's shrewdness worked for all sides. Nembang's Nemesis
After successfully steering the Lauda Air issue through the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee and putting Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala prime ministerial position in trouble, PAC chairman Subhas Chandra Nembang has found himself in the eye of the storm. Lawyer turned politician Nembang may lose his political status if things continue the way they are. Who knows when the loyal parliamentarian of the CPN-UML may be forced to back to his old profession?
Payback Time Although it might seem strange, but some leaders of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) actually celebrated when the Supreme Court reinstated the CPN-UML’s Rajendra Lohani in place of Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani in the House of Representatives. Dr. Lohani, vice-president of the RPP, was said to be one of the proponents of the RPP-UML alliance that elected Lok Bahadur Thapa as a member of the upper house, in defiance of the party’s official candidates Jog Mehar Shrestha and Khem Raj Pandit. Payback time, as they say. Comradely Motions At a time when CPN-UML leaders are fighting with each other to maintain their supremacy in the party, CPN-ML leaders appear in a relaxed mood to join hands with the CPN-UML. If UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal agrees to join hand with his ML counterpart and former foe Bam Dev Gautam, Nepal’s communist movement will see a major realignment. However, that won’t be anything new. The processes of fission and fusion operate with such velocity among Nepal’s communists that it has always been difficult to keep track of our comrades’ movements. |
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