OFF THE RECORD (Spotlight Weekly)

‘RPP Is Not a Party Of Individuals With Vested Interest’

— JOG MEHAR SHRESTHA

After filing his nomination for the National Assembly election, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leader JOG MEHAR SHRESTHA has landed at the center of controversy. The RPP is reported to have expelled him for six years for having violated party discipline. Shrestha, who maintains he is an official candidate of his party, spoke to SPOTLIGHT on the issue. Excerpts:

It is said your party is going to expel you for violating party discipline. How do you look at this development?

Who said that? I am an official candidate and I have filed nomination papers after securing the permission of the party. In this situation, there is no question of expelling me for violating party discipline.

At a time when your party has nominated another candidate, how do you claim that you are the official nominee?

I have a legitimate letter written on behalf of the party. The RPP is not a party of individuals having vested interest. I do not understand this propaganda against my nomination.

Do you see any possibility of the RPP breaking up again after the National Council election?

I do not see any possibility of a split. The RPP has passed through many stages before arriving at this point in time. What we need now is to change the pattern of working.

If your party takes disciplinary action against you, what will be your response?

I do not think anybody would be foolish enough to act in such a manner.

Thapa : growing camaraderie

Changing Role

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) president Surya Bahadur Thapa and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal have struck a new alliance. The affection showered by communist leaders on Thapa has startled those who like to project the RPP leader as a liberal politician. After joining so-called hard-liners during the course of the national referendum and then launching a crusade against what he described as a shadowy "underground gang", Thapa is now shaking hands with the leader of a former underground group. Thapa, who once demanded that B.P. Koirala be hanged, became prime minister with the support of Koirala’s party. For his political rivals, Thapa’s luck must be a source of envy.

Fertile Mind

Congress central committee member and party spokesman Narahari Acharya is known for his fertile mind, especially his ability to introduce new words in politics. After coming out with some controversial ideas in support of the elected prime minister, Acharya has now found another populist theme: bringing all security organs under the prime minister. As the head of government, the prime minister already holds all kinds of responsibility. Has his sense of loyalty to his leader prompted Acharya to bring in a new metaphor?

Bhattarai : Influence on the wane

Humiliated Bhattarai

Senior Congress leader and former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has always been regarded in the public eye as a heavyweight in the party. In reality, evidence of that does not appear to be so strong. Bhattarai was humiliated when the Congress parliamentary party rejected his proposal to provide a National Council ticket to Dr. Narayan Khadka, his political adviser. Compared to the candidates that were nominated, Dr. Khadka credentials were not inferior in any way. But when people like former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba snubbed Bhattarai’s candidate, one is bound to wonder whether Bhattarai’s standing in the party is over-rated.

Ranabhat and Ratatat…

While making public the report on the mysterious June 1 killings at the royal palace, House of Representatives Speaker Taranath Ranabhat popularized a new expression: Ratatat, Ratatat, Ratatat. From cartoonist to journalists to lawyers, the speaker’s words made for good sound bite and quotes. The speaker’s words were notable not because they rhymed with his surname, but because of their power to humiliate in the guise of humor.