Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

Comrade of Controversy

Gautam : Courting controversy

In the last ten years, CPN-UML leader Bamdev Gautam has demonstrated a typical political nature and has always survived amid political controversy. Even when he was a deputy secretary general of CPN-UML and general secretary of CPN-ML, Gautam did not mind to make controversial comments nor did he ceased to exhibit sensational behaviors. Although all of his party colleagues are trying to forge an alliance with Nepali Congress demanding the restoration of dissolved House of Representatives, Gautam has dismissed the idea saying that it will create more problems in the country. When his party colleague Radha Krishna Mainali spoke against the agitation, he was suspended for six months from the party central committee. However, nobody knows how CPN-UML will react this time against Gautam.

Paudel : In the middle of the road

Poudel’s Dilemma

Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel has his own problem. Following the split of Congress party, most of Poudel’s colleagues joined rival faction led by former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Although former deputy prime minister Poudel has been trying hard to prove that he is a die-hard follower of Congress leader Koirala, there is no one willing to buy his arguments. Most of Koirala’s loyalists consider Poudel as a leader of dual character. In the last 15 months of politics, Poudel has already lost trust and confidence of his old friend and former prime minister Deuba. And he does not have any close backing in the party either. This may be the reason that has compelled Poudel to make more pro-Koirala stands of late.

Thapa’s Confidence

One of the main characters of Prime minister and RPP leader Surya Bahadur Thapa is that he can make every impossible thing possible. That is why whenever the country faces crisis, Thapa, who has undergone by-pass surgery of his heart twice, chooses to lead the country. In a hostile atmosphere, Thapa held the elections for national referendum in 1979. Although no political leaders visualize the possibility to conduct the polls, prime minister Thapa has already declared that he will hold the elections for the House of Representatives and local bodies any time soon. At a time when no body is in a position to announce the election date, what prompted prime minister Thapa to make such statements is a great mystery.

Spoil Sports

National Sports Council has a long history of factional disputes. Two years ago, president of Nepal Olympic Committee declined to recognize the elections of All Nepal Football Association led by Ganesh Thapa. The president of NOC Rukma Sumsher JB Rana termed Thapa’s elections as a bogus taking the side of National Sports Council. In two years period, tables have turned and Rana is now knocking the door of apex court following the decision of council not to recognize the elections conducted by NOC. The sports council headed by former badminton veteran Kishore Bahadur Singh has already threatened legal actions. It seems that Nepalese sports are mired in political controversy and political strength determines the shape of the sports. Whoever may lead the council, the fate will repeat again. Thapa and Singh are winner now but they may be the losers next time around when Rana’s mentor will hold the power.

Surging Strength

Narayan Man Bijukchhe, leader of Nepal Peasants and Workers Party, is basking in the new found political strength these days. In his long political career, Bijukchhe proved that he is a moderate-looking-radical-communist leader of Bhaktapur. His success is in raising the status of his party despite it only has a single member in the now-dissolved House of Representatives. After joining the five party agitation front, Bijukchhe has turned into a national leader sharing equal strength with the two major political parties - Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. Bijukchhe has already chaired two meetings organized at his party office in Bhaktapur where he gave ‘invaluable’ advices to NC supremo Girija Prasad Koirala and UML strongman Madhav Kumar Nepal.