NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Enigmatic Unity

The people failed to understand why the comrades split four years ago and cannot fathom why they have united

By KESHAB POUDEL

CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and CPN-ML leader Bam Dev Gautam hugged each other and held their hands calling for lasting comradely unity in the presence of a jam-packed audience of party workers at the Rastriya Sabha Griha. When the two former bitter enemies hailed their parties' unification, die-hard UML supporters gave the leaders a standing ovation.

UML and Ml leaders : Urge to merge

Whatever individual benefits other ML leaders may have received from the decision to merge their party with the main opposition party, Gautam has been singled out as the saviour of the communist cause. True to his nature, Gautam used all his rhetorical skills to persuade the party workers how bad he felt about breaking away from the UML four years ago. "It was our mistake to split the party, and I have realized the wrong we have done," Gautam said.

Gautam received similar publicity when he broke away from the UML. He has been projected as a hero both in breaking the party and in uniting it. "There is no greater apology than the realization of one's mistakes," said Nepal, welcoming the comrade back to the fold. "You don't have to consider yourselves strangers, because you are returning home," he said to ML leaders and activists.

Gautam : Lonely hero !

In political terms, the unification would have a lasting effect in Nepalese power politics, as it will strengthen the position of the UML to challenge the bitterly divided ruling Nepali Congress. The merger has also indicated that there is no viability of small parties in an election process based on the first-past-post system Nepal has adopted.

As per their agreement, nine ML members were inducted in the central committee and three in the standing committee. But internal politics alone did not influence the event. The UML was split without the people ever having understood the causes. When it has re-united today, there are hardly any valid reasons that could persuade a baffled public. The statement of Gautam during the split is revealing. "These are certainly the clashes of ideologies. We pointed out more than half a dozen differences with the majority factions, including the issue of the ratification of the Mahakali Treaty. The majority faction has failed to describe the United States as an imperialistic power and India as an expansionist power with a penchant for regional hegemony." (Prakash weekly, February 19, 1998). "The UML has ceased to be either a revolutionary or a communist party. The present leadership of the UML has been reduced into a group of opportunists. The UML has deviated from its goals of nationalism and democracy and has surrendered before the foreign forces." (Jana Astha, March 4, 1998).

Nepal, who is credited with leading the unity camp within the UML to victory, openly rejected the idea of sharing power with Gautam and his group four years ago. "There is no question of reunification of with any individual since the unified and solid party is with us. Neither do they have morals nor the mandate of party workers. They (ML leaders) are the bunch of selfish people who lost their integrity when they shared power with rightist forces. They know all dirty, underhand tricks," said Madhav Kumar Nepal. We believe that the party should not engage itself in the buying-selling of MPs. It was leaders like Bam Dev who indulged in such immoral acts to save the government." (SPOTLIGHT, March 31, 1998).

Pradhan ( left) with Nepal : for better or worse

How one can believe that the unity between the UML and ML will last when the two senior leaders are capable of waging such a bitter war of words. Almost all ML leaders returned to their mother party with Gautam. However, a faction led by veteran communist leader C.P. Mainali said it would keep the party alive. Following the merger, ML leaders handed over their party documents, including registers, to the mother party.

The two factions have kept alive their fundamental disagreement over such earlier disputes as the ratification of the Mahakali Treaty and their characterization of India and the United States. If they could unite by putting aside their differences, then UML leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli and ML leaders Bam Dev Gautam, Radha Krishna Mainali and Sahana Pradhan must have made certain compromises.

"We will accept the party policy endorsed by the seventh party convention, but we will raise our differences as per the communist convention," said Gautam." We have not compromised on our demands."

"Interestingly, ML leader Gautam was projected by the media close to the so-called democratic camp as a hero when he split the party in 1998 and when he merged the party this time," said a political analyst. Although UML general secretary Nepal had made every effort in 1998 to keep the party intact, he has played a major role in the unification process, which the media have ignored.

This suggests that there is a political motive in placing Gautam back in the UML. "At a time when our party is itself in a position to win the next elections, the party will gain nothing by inducting Gautam," one UML leader belonging to the anti-merger camp said. "In the coming days, a new breed of anarchy will grow in the party."

Despite efforts to project the unification as a major political shift, nobody seems to believe that the merger was done on the wishes of the two leaders. "There are certain compulsions for both Nepal and Gautam, which they cannot ignore," said a political analyst. Some analysts say the merger will diminish the role of UML general secretary Nepal. For him it is a fait accompli, as he could do nothing except to embrace his comrade-in-arm."

"The projection of Gautam's homecoming indicated how strong his future role is going to be in the party," said a political analyst. "There is no certainty that the unity would strengthen the UML. One should not and would not be surprised if UML were to be weakened from within." Gautam's role would be, some analyst speculate, to weaken the party from within and achieve what he failed to do from outside.

UML general secretary Nepal seems to have become more confident that his party will emerge as a strong alternative to the Nepali Congress. "We will win the elections and form the next government. Nobody can now stop us from forming the next government," said Nepal. A moderate communist leader, Nepal may have to pay a price for embracing Gautam.

The ruling Nepali Congress, mired in internal bickering, stood together to face the elections. But it seemed strange when the UML split at a time when it had a possibility of forming the next government. "Had the UML stood united, the Nepali Congress might have placed in second position," said a Congress member. "But, again, who can guarantee that their friendship will endure?"

Hoping to outsmart the Nepali Congress, the UML may now seek early elections. Although the main opposition leader has not given any indication to that effect, sooner or later the party would force the Nepali Congress to go to the polls.

The merger of the two communist parties will help to strengthen the political process, encouraging strong competition among a few political parties. The greater the number of political parties, more the problems for a polity based on the first-past-post system. The voters will have one alternative against the other. Whether the unity process has to her political purposes, however, will be known in the days ahead when the two leaders get down to the nuts and bolts of the party machinery.