National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Prime Overtures

The new premier is sounding a reconciliatory tone in his attempt to appease the disgruntled political parties as well as to kick-start the peace process

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

The seasoned politician that he is, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has shrewdly handled his first two weeks in office by sending out conciliatory signals.

Though failing in his bid to woo the political parties into joining his cabinet, Thapa is now juggling different agenda to entice his political detractors. Thapa has astutely kept his cards close to his chest as he continues to throw every options - from reinstatement of House of Representatives and calling fresh elections to all party government and turning the elected parliament into constituent assembly - open. In one attempt, he is trying to pacify everyone from political parties and monarchists to the Maoists.

"As Prime Minister Thapa has clearly said, he is ready to discuss every political issue, including the revival of the House of Representatives. The prime minister also expressed the possibility of turning parliament into constitutional assembly. But the political parties must come forward, as the prime minister has already expressed his willingness to sit together to sort out the problems. It is unfortunate that political parties are not responding properly to Prime Minister Thapa's overtures," Rabindra Nath Sharma, a close Thapa aide told SPOTLIGHT (see Face To Face).

By giving interviews to daily newspapers where he has said that he will direct security personnel not to over-react against the agitators of political parties, Thapa indicated that he was willing to go to any length to placate their sentiments that were piqued after King Gyanendra appointed him instead of their common choice, Madhav Kumar Nepal.

On their part, the political parties have hinted that they would go ahead with their agitation until and unless the regression is stopped. But evidently the shrill of the agitation has subsided considerably in the last two weeks. "The political parties perhaps could be giving the benefit of doubt to the prime minister. They may be willing to give just a short time for wait-and-watch policy," said an analyst.

In a canny political move, Thapa said he was willing to "discuss" the issue of House reinstatement. The carefully crafted gesture was designed to steal the wind from the sails of the political parties.

In the same vein, he added that participation by the parties in the government would make it easier to resolve the outstanding differences. He said that issues like summoning the meeting of National Assembly and general elections could also be sorted out through consensus. "I am ready to discuss the parties' demands with open mind," Thapa said. He said that the practicality and the constitutionality of such issues could be discussed.

Thapa, a septuagenarian leader and a heart patient, however, showed that he still retains his old mettle when he reacted to the apparent disgruntlement of RPP leadership over his choice of cabinet members saying that it was fully the prerogative of the prime minister. He appointed a seven-member cabinet - all from his Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani bagged the Finance Ministry, Kamal Thapa, the Information and Communication Ministry, Sarvendra Nath Shukla, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ministry, Buddhiman Tamang, Works and Physical Planning Ministry, Hari Bahadur Basnet, Sports and Education Ministry. Renu Kumari Yadav has been appointed Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare. The prime minister holds the rest of the portfolios himself.

The first meeting of the Thapa cabinet last Thursday (June 12) formed two-member team to give continuity to the dialogue with the Maoists. Senior ministers Dr. Lohani and Kamal Thapa, were nominated as members of the team. The option to include more members has also been left open. Likewise, the government decided to set up "Peace Talks Coordination Secretariat" at the Prime Minister's Office to give institutional identity to the peace process.

As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding lies in its eating, the true caliber of Thapa government can be determined in the days ahead after seeing how he shapes up his policy vis-a-vis political parties as well as the Maoists.