OFF THE RECORD (Spotlight Weekly)

Party Pointers

Political parties in Nepal have developed their own quaint rules of functioning. If the recent case of the main opposition CPN-UML is any indication, its leaders appear to have come under the tightening grip of the party on such everyday matters as making speeches. After their recent public comments on the future of national politics stirred a debate, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and deputy leader of the parliamentary party K.P. Sharma Oli were admonished by UML spokesman Pradeep Nepal to stick to the party’s line. Spokesman Nepal specifically reminded the two leaders that they would have to follow decisions of the central committee before making public pronouncements. The way things are going, UML leaders may soon find themselves reading out of prepared texts. Who knows what will come next? Our comrades might have to obtain the party’s permission to go to sleep.

Top-Class Talks

It looks like Maoist leaders and government ministers feel comfortable with negotiating their peace proposals at top-class hotels. The calm ambience of the Godavari and Bardia resorts may have provided the stimulus for thoughtful discussions. However, since neither side seems to be clear on what it can agree or disagree on, the focus has shifted to the next step of the dialogue process. Many people are speculating on the resort that might have the honor of hosting future talks. Any guesses?

Bhattarai’s Banter

Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has long been the darling of interviewers. So when the former prime minister expressed his willingness to talk with the government-owned daily Gorkhapatra, the newspaper decided to send a high-powered team, including the chief editor and chief reporter, in the hope of getting some exclusive insights. Once Bhattarai started talking, however, he hardly went beyond praising the contributions of Gorkhapatra to the political development of Nepal. Although it was just an informal meeting, Gorkhapatra found the comments worthy of publication. The country’s oldest newspaper and one of its oldest politicians made good use of each other.

Deuba’s Endurance

Despite asserting that he would avoid attending too many public meetings, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is out there making several speeches a day. From conferences on children and senior citizens to book launches, Deuba is making his presence felt everywhere. If he made an all-out effort to grace every function he is invited to, how many could he really be able to attend? Who says the endurance of a prime minister is tested only by his days in office?

Ring Master

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba seems confident of his invincibility as long as he wears those rings on his fingers. During these politically precarious times, Deuba knows that the advice of fortune-tellers counts as much as the people’s trust. If Deuba feels he is facing new trouble, he can consult another astrologer and start wearing another ring. Our prime minister has really learned to believe in the power of belief.