Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

Blame On Misreporting

Nepal : Slip of the tongue?

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal recently revealed that he never said anything about the agitation being a final one. Addressing a press conference, the CPN-UML general secretary accused journalists of using their favorite words through the mouths of political leaders. Known as a firebrand leader, Nepal does not mind to use sharp statements when he is addressing a gathering. One of the positive aspects of his recent interaction was that our political leaders seem to have realized the need to use softer words. Instead of charging media of distortion, political leaders should transform themselves. Nobody understands what prompted CPN-UML leader Nepal to call the press conference just a few days before what they termed as a decisive battle against regression.

Sudden Politics

In Nepali politics, everything happens suddenly. In many cases, even the political actors who are involved in drama were also sidelined. This is what exactly happened to Nepali Congress. Two years ago, it was a sudden decision of Girija Prasad Koirala to order his prime minister to withdraw the state of emergency within 24 hours. Likewise, it was the sudden rebuff on the part of Deuba who reacted by dissolving the House of Representatives. These actions resulted in the split in NC. Now, Koirala has suddenly mooted the idea of reunification of the party. Nepalese politics takes the course not in a planned manner but as per the sudden and often whimsical decisions of particular leaders.

Desperate Deuba

Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader Sher Bahadur Deuba is now in a desperate mood. Although former prime minister Deuba tries to hide his desperation in public, he has started to confess it with his party colleagues. Following the hard stand taken by two elected members Prakash Man Singh and Pradeep Giri on the unity efforts, former prime minister Deuba is said to have been compelled to reject the offer of party unity made by NC president Girija Prasad Koirala. Despite his opposition to join in the present circumstances, former prime minister Deuba has already asked his followers to return to mother party. It remains to be seen how long Deuba will stick to his stand.

Curious Confidence

When his other party colleagues and leaders seem to be uncertain regarding the future of unification process, Nepali Congress leader and spokesman of the party Arjun Narshing K.C is confident. Nobody understands what rationale is there behind K.C’s optimism when his party leader Girija Prasad Koirala and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba both are yet to make up their minds. When Congress party was on the verge of split, it was K.C. who predicted that there was no question of unity. Like in the past, K.C. seems to know what is cooking inside his party.

Bohara’s Bargain

As soon as RPP leader and former minister Deepak Bohara opened his mouth against the government, all four leaders of five agitating parties were completely taken aback. At a time when leaders of agitating parties were merely mentioning a few incidents accusing the government, RPP leader Bohara forthright challenged the legitimacy of the government. At one recent public program, it looked like as if Bohara was speaking on behalf of five agitating parties while the leaders of the latter were defending the government. Bohara’s accusation against the government is understandable since prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa did not include him in his cabinet.