OFF THE RECORD (Spotlight Weekly)

Bhattarai’s Buggy

Bhattarai : Palanquin politician

Nepalese politicians have different preferences when it comes to travelling. Some like to trudge new heights and trek long distances, while others love a long journey in their backyard. Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai — who is often described by that oxymoron, ‘saint-leader’ — seems to like that good old human touch. For someone who has spent almost all of his political life carrying his trademark umbrella, Bhattarai must have found it uplifting to have been carried along in a buggy.

Nepal’s Innovative Idea

Nepal : Look, who's following us

CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal is very happy these days. The leader of the main opposition party has a special reason to rejoice. His much-demonised parliamentary strategy and tactics are being emulated in other parts of the region. "Who says we are being undemocratic in parliament when India’s Congress leader Sonia Gandhi is following us. All Nepalis should be proud of our ways," Nepal told party workers last week. To be frank, there is nothing wrong in the UML-led opposition’s way of pressuring the government, especially when the same set of procedures are being copied in the world’s largest democracy.

Ranabhat’s Tactic

Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat is busy organizing all-party meetings on finding ways of restoring order in parliament. However, he knows that nothing will change as long as he wishes to run parliament in the way he likes. Ranabhat’s stand stems from Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s failure to support him in his quest to win a seat on the Congress central committee. Until Koirala takes proper initiatives to compensate Ranabhat for that glaring lapse, there is no reason for the speaker to try to straighten out things where he is the boss.

Poudel’s Wish

As House of Representatives Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat is showing no willingness to force opposition MPs to join the house, his predecessor — Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel — is bragging about the heavy-handed tactics he used to pass the bill on local governance. As a former communist, Poudel seems to be aware of the strategy of communist opposition in a better way than the pure Congress cadre Ranabhat is.

Rana’s Record

Rana : Split personality

Geeta Rana, principal of Galaxy Boarding School, seems to have a special skill in breaking institutions. Whatever organization she has joined, Rana has almost immediately split it right through the middle. After setting up an ad hoc All Nepal Football Association and the throwing the sport into chaos, Rana has now managed to split the Public and Boarding School Organization Nepal.