Off The Record (Spotlight Weekly)

UML's Double Standard

Nepal : Sowing confusionl

The CPN-UML leaders have shown once again that they are champions for double speak. As soon as the government announced the hike on petroleum products, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal was the first one to criticize the decision. Although Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman is his party loyalist and the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies is his party's minister and politburo member, Nepal seemed to be more interested to criticize the government move rather than back them. It is well known that CPN-UML is a major partner of the present four party coalition government and all the parties are equally responsible for any bad or good performance of the government. However, recent statement by CPN-UML's general secretary showed that he is interested only to shoulder popular decisions and not those that attract public criticism. Double speak is a culture of CPN-UML.

Deuba : Taken aback

Frustrated PM

Prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is frustrated by the double role played by the CPN-UML. When Deuba agreed to lead the coalition government, it was the CPN-UML's general secretary Nepal who backed him. In 2001 when Deuba was chosen the leader of Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader, Nepal was the first one to applaud him. When Deuba dissolved the House of Representatives, Nepal again backed Deuba. In all occasions, whenever the CPN-UML leaders felt uncomfortable Deuba was kicked out and denounced as a corrupt leader. This time, too, when the government is gradually slipping to stagnancy, the CPN-UML leaders are trying to kick him out. This time whether CPN-UML leaders will succeed or not remains to be seen.

Thapa : Desperately isolated

Desperate Thapa

Former prime minister and former RPP leader Surya Bahadur Thapa is nowadays desperate to show his strength by coming back to the political arena again. Although more than a couple of months have already passed since the opening up of his new party, former prime minister Thapa is yet to find followers to push him to the political stage. Even his political friends in RPP are criticizing his move to split the party. Whatever one can say about him, old Thapa is waiting for a change in the situation to come back to politics. Few years ago Thapa's situation was like today and nobody had then expected that he would be appointed as a prime minister soon but Thapa proved all the political pundits wrong. How long shrewd Thapa will need to wait this time, time only will tell.

Missing Generation

Two so-called second-generation leaders of Nepali Congress Shailaja Acharya and Ram Chandra Poudel appear to be nowhere. With the amendment of party's constitution, it has opened the way for party president Girija Prasad Koirala to become next party chief. Few months back when former prime minister Koirala had not indicate his wish (to again run for the party chief post), these two leaders had declared their candidature one after another. Former deputy prime minister Ram Chandra Poudel even declared that the time has come to take over the party leadership by a new generation of leaders. At a time when there are a number of new generation leaders in the party, Poudel's remark had widened the competition among more than a dozen leaders. One has to wait more to know who will be another lucky leader.