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OFF THE RECORD |
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OFF THE RECORD |
Patchwork Politics The Nepali Congress is full of people who
have a knack for patching things up. Whenever top leaders have had major differences in
the past, they have defused the situation by striking power-sharing accords. After Nepali
Congress supremo Girija Prasad Koirala appeared determined to uphold the expulsion order
against Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, all "second-generation" leaders
scrambled to rescue the party from a vertical split. Former prime minister Krishna Prasad
Bhattarai, the sole surviving founder member of the party, vowed to forestall a split as
long as he is alive. While the so-called moderates were making every effort to persuade
Koirala and Deuba see the consequences of a split, extremists in the rival camps exhibited
few signs of pulling back from their suicidal path.
Red Doublespeak Nepalese communist leaders are known for
the double standards they maintain on major issues. Until a week ago, CPN-UML leaders
uniformly backed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's decision to dissolve the House of
Representatives and call fresh elections. Now some comrades seem to be seeing things
through the eyes of Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala. Parroting Koirala,
these UML leaders are questioning a political issue on constitutional grounds. Although
UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal likes to claim how his party strictly maintains
discipline, recent statement by some of his colleagues make that claim sound hollow. Win-Win Situation Unlike in the past, when they fought cases
against communist factions, Nepali Congress lawyers are divided internally. In absence of
any lawyer from the main opposition party CPN-UML in the case seeking the reinstatement of
the House of Representatives, the battle in the Supreme Court seems to be one between
rival factions of the ruling party. Whatever the decision of the court, though, the winner
will be the Nepali Congress.
Ranabhat's Ruse Last year, House of Representatives Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat coined a phrase that was popular with the Nepalese media for quite some time. Ranabhat's 'ratatatat.' rhythm provided material for newspaper gossip columnists and cartoonists alike. In his reply to the Supreme Court in connection with the case against Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's decision to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections, Ranabhat has demanded a ruling that would deter any future premier from what he considers adventurism. How the court responds remains to be seen. But this much is clear: Ranabhat certainly knows that this is a good opportunity
to strengthen the hands of the
speaker. Daughter's Moment The daughter of Nepali Congress president
Sujata Koirala has suddenly changed her position in the ruling party from an inactive
member to an active one. Although many Koirala family members like to see her as just a
social worker, Sujata has demonstrated her political skills. Dad, too, has been
encouraging lately. He has started using Sujata's house to meet party workers and mull the
future of the party. This turn of events has alarmed other members of the Koirala clan.
BP's eldest son, Prakash, Nepali Congress general secretary Sushil Koirala and former
deputy prime minister Shailaja Acharya are among those most worried about their future.
The latest crisis in the ruling party has meant different things to different people. As
for Sujata, she is determined to position herself as Dad's political heir as well. |
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editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
