National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Still Reconciliatory

Despite distortion and wrong projection by media and his colleagues, Congress leader Koirala is still sounding voices of reconciliation

By KESHAB POUDEL

Koirala : Mysterious Misinterpretation

When his younger colleagues have confined their role within the capital giving interviews to newspapers, octogenarian Congress leader Koirala is on a nationwide whirlwind tour urging to restore the constitutional process to the right track.

Although his statements have often been found to have been distorted and misreported in the country’s broadsheet daily newspapers, Koirala still speaks the line of reconciliation propounded by his brother B.P. Koirala. Whether he is in Biratnagar or Janakpur or Birgunj, G.P. Koirala stresses the need to reconcile between monarchy and political forces. Despite his good intended statements, there appear banner headlines that harp confrontational slogans.

“ I don’t understand why newspapers often distort my statements. Most of the statements that have appeared in the leading newspapers seemed to be aimed at widening the gap between the country’s political forces,” Koirala said to this scribe. “Even I have asked the local reporters why they misinterpret my opinion so frequently but they (local reporters) reveal that the editors in Kathmandu edit their stories.”

Whatever Congress leader and former prime minister Koirala may have tried to explain about his positions, the newspapers’ headlines and FM radio news reports give completely different message to common readers and other power centers.

Thanks to such publicity, former prime minister Koirala, who has been taking refuge in a small room at his nephew’s home for the last one decade, has been portrayed as one of the most corrupt political leaders. Of course, Koirala has also committed some political blunders in his own party. But Koirala is the only remaining active political leader who has seen all the major political upheavals in the country since the political change of 1950. Thanks to Koirala’s hard stance, the country’s largest and strongest political party was split and the majority government lost its power.

Unlike his visionary brother B.P. Koirala, junior Koirala is easily misled by his political enemies and friends alike. In the process, his ideas about political reconciliation often loses track.

“If Koirala takes political decision on his own, Nepali Congress will unite again,” said a Congress insider. “His student and former prime minister Deuba and other congress leaders could merge in the party in a single effort from Koirala. Unfortunately, his political advisors are encouraging him to embrace the communist leaders - his diehard opponents – rather than to embrace his old friends.”

Former Congress leader Koirala will reap short-term political gain by making alliance with the communists but it will have a long-term consequence for Nepalese politics. In the five party alliance, Koirala can promote his enemy but not back his junior party colleagues. Former prime minister Koirala knows it but he cannot break the alliance.

Despite his shortcomings and political blunders, Congress leader Koirala is still a central figure in contemporary Nepalese politics. In his political career spanning over six decades, former prime minister Koirala had done many political bargaining and compromises. Although he has abundance of experiences of Nepalese politics, he does not know the method to use them.

Since Koirala has a long political experience, he is surrounded by the people who are not bothered about what contributions Koirala can make to bring the change through the process of reconciliation. Unfortunately, Koirala’s own daughter Sujata Koirala, who is aspiring to inherit the legacy of her father, speaks the tones similar to that of radical communist leaders.

Koirala’s tragedy is that his new political allies are radical communist leaders like Lilamani Pokharel, Narayanman Bijukche, Amik Sherchan and moderate communist Madhav Kumar Nepal. Inside the Congress party, too, his close aides are not much different than the radicals with whom he has made alliance.

In a political situation when ruling party prefers authoritarianism and opposition is inclined to anarchism and destruction, leaders like Koirala has little choice. The country is losing its experienced political leader like Koirala who can be useful to bring the political process to the right track.