Trying time for Koirala indeed!

The brusque destruction of the three functioning districts' committee of the congress by the high command of the party in the recent times has invited scathing opprobrium from the officials of the now dissolved committee. The three districts, which saw the wrath of the party's high command, are Kathmandu, Syangja and Bhaktapur. Allegations are that these three districts had to face this wrath from party bosses simply because they could not subscribe verbatim to the decree of the current command at the centre who wished the committee to toe the party orders, good or bad. Understandably, the officials manning the now dissolved committee preferred not to obey the orders from Kathmandu central office of the party, which summarily resulted in their dismissal. Informed sources in the congress go to the extent in saying that the district committee which were dissolved at a go were politically affiliated to the other camp rather than the present machinery of the congress presidency. In clear terms, the present dissolution appears to be the fresh offshoot of the ongoing conflict in between the Koirala and the Bhattarai camps. To put it more bluntly, the fresh dismantling of the congress centres in three different districts is politically motivated and contains the seeds of disintegration in the congress time permitting.

This analysis could be well drawn from the conflicting utterances emanating from the two competing camps, read the Koirala and the Bhattarai camps, which respectively give their own interpretations for the change in government. While Bhattarai summarily says that he had been unceremoniously ousted from the Premiership and that time permitting he would yet again assume the coveted seat from which he was dropped by his own long time associate-Koirala. However, Koirala camp maintains that since the Bhattarai government had become a real burden for the nation and that his establishment if left to continue for long might have inflicted colossal loss even to the very existence of the party that is the congress. This means that both the camps have yet to reconcile for the larger interest of the party. This again amply hints at the fact that the numerical strength 69 versus 43 gained by Koirala and Deuba respectively at time of the last parliamentary elections continues to haunt each other every minute since then. The rumours that Deuba in the meanwhile has comfortably secured a good number of Congress MPs in his side also adds to the strength of Bhattarai camp who perhaps at times sends threat loaded statements to the other camp. Since the three committees' currently dissolved summarily toes the Bhattarai line and hence trouble might take a definite shape for Koirala if not handled in a well-suited manner. To go ahead with fierce intra-party fighting or to subside it by exhibiting tolerance all depends upon Koirala and his coterie men. However, those who understand Koirala and his inner club loyalists predict that this lobby will not yield to the demands of the officials of the dissolved committee come what may. This means that a fight to finish will soon begin in the congress camp.The Kathmandu committee has already taken the lead.

Deuba's tours to the countryside, the clear differing signals emanating from Deuba camp with regard to the mobilisation of the Nepal army to quell the threats coming as it does from the Maoists' quarters, the present dissension seen in the three dissolved congress district committee, the dismantling of the Bhattarai constituted forums for employment such as B.P. with the poor, and the talks of sacking all the Bhattarai's men who had been awarded lucrative offers at the fag end of his troubled tenure, all put together bode ill for Koirala's Prime ministership. If these issues that confronts the congress as a party today could not be addressed amicably will perhaps invite situations that might go beyond the control of the Prime minister who is also the President of the party. In all likelihood, the dissenters in the congress camp might create problems for Girija's family men that still wish to capture the party chairmanship at the impending congress convention. If things worsen and President Koirala remains unable to satisfy the demands of the dissolved officials of the party in Kathmandu, Syangja and Bhaktapur, it would be these men who will activate Deuba to try his luck during the Budget session of the parliament with the much publicised swelled strength of congress lawmakers that stands at fifty plus. The next trouble this lobby might bring in during the time of the election of a new congress presidency. However, all would depend on how Koirala's bete noir Bhattarai takes up these possible anti-Koirala moves. It would presumably be his clandestine instructions to the anti-Koirala lobby that will decide the continuation or for that matter the ouster of Koirala.

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