 |
||
|
||
OFF THE RECORD |
|
||
|
||
OFF THE RECORD |
Grievous Design Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad
Koirala has declared he would soon disclose the "brain" behind the June 1, 2001
massacre at the royal palace. Koirala was prime minister and also held the defense and
royal palace affairs portfolios when the tragedy occurred. This has led some to believe he
may have new inside information on one of the darkest moments in Nepalese history. Those
who realize that the four-time premier has a consistent record of doublespeak are not
impressed. Whenever out of power, Koirala has championed issues and ideas he barely paid
attention to while in government. As for the Narayanhity tragedy, one is tempted to
re-read his deposition to the high-level probe commission, which says very little. In the
last 12 years, Koirala has been harping on words like "grand design" and
"conspiracy" to advance his own political agenda. There is little to suggest he
is not doing the same this time around.
Reds' Rifts CPN-UML leaders have a history of
infighting and ganging up against each other for personal gain. Five years ago, Madhav
Kumar Nepal teamed up with K.P. Sharma Oli to oppose the minority views represented by the
Bam Dev Gautam-led camp, which eventually led to a formal split in the party. This time,
Oli and Gautam have joined hands to challenge Nepal ahead of the party's general
convention. Nobody knows how the major issues of contention will play out this time. But
it's clear that Nepal is in for a bitter struggle against Gautam and Oli.
RPP Duality RPP leaders, too, have exhibited a dual
face in their relatively short existence as an organized group. Although RPP leader
Lokendra Bahadur Chand heads the current government, party members are having a hard time
accepting it as their own. When Chand was appointed to replace Sher Bahadur Deuba in
October, former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa was RPP president. Pashupati Sumsher
Rana has since taken over as chief, but it seems the party has not changed its stand.
Although RPP leaders are meeting Chand and submitting memorandums on behalf of the party,
they continue to disassociate themselves from the premier. Disunited Team Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand is
known as a decent gentleman, but his amiable behavior has encouraged open hostility
between two of his senior ministers. Finance Minister Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha has
proposed the privatization of a few government undertakings, but Minister for Industry,
Trade and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan has been voicing a different view. A few days ago,
as Dr. Shrestha held discussions on privatizing certain industries, Pradhan invited some
general managers of industries and corporations and urged them not to rush to submit
proposals to the Finance Ministry. Are Shrestha and Pradhan on the same team? Tall Talk Although he is just an assistant minister
of population and environment, Gopal Dahit is eager to air his views on every major
political issue. Nobody knows whether Dahit's views on peace talks with the Maoists are
personal or reflective of government policy, but he is bringing to the subject a sense of
assurance normally exhibited by the official spokesman. Over the last three months, Dahit
has delivered contradictory statements, prompting ridicule from different quarters. Prime
Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand must clarify the status of Dahit to boost the credibility
of his cabinet. |
Send your feedback to the
editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
