War of words in congress!

Nepali population has reasons to expect jocular moments from the ruling Nepali congress at times as this party in the past has remained ever kind enough to stage a drama of sorts that more often than not entertains the common masses and the international community as well. Thanks the existence of this party, a "democratic one indeed" that the common men get opportunities that allows them to forget the continued pains and sorrows at least for a while.

Coming back to the point on why we were forced to make such scathing comments on the party is that only recently we all witnesses a sort of war of words in between the party president and the two ministers currently housed in Deuba's cabinet. If the utterances of the two ministers were taken lightly by the president, things would have been different. However, the fact is that president Koirala took those ministerial comments as scathing one aimed at maligning his personal prestige as president of the party and hence as per his arrogant behavior served letters of explanations from the minister asking why they not be taken "disciplinary" actions for having attacked their own party president. Since then the party is under tremendous stress.

Now let us see what were those utterances that made Koirala so furious against his own party ministers. In effect, one gentleman in the cabinet indirectly stated that some one is expecting his political gain in the sudden collapse of Deuba regime. The other rather junior minister bluntly told one vernacular weekly that president Koirala should now renounce politics and be sent to Ranchi. Ranchi is a place in neighbouring Inia where lunatic persons are treated. Strikingly enough, both these ministerial comments were made in rejection to president Koirala's newest proposal wherein he demanded a broader democratic alliance in order to save the country from the current malaise.

Whether president Koirala's need for a broader democratic alliance is the need of the day or is simply a ploy as suggested by the two incumbent ministers to destabilise Deuba's regime is a matter best should be left for the ruling party to decide. Whether the ministerial comments too warranted disciplinary actions from the party or were just an impromptu reaction against their own party president for his "unseasonal song" too should be left the party men to decide. However, if president Koirala wishes to take penal actions against the two "errant" ministers then we would wish to remind president Koirala to recall his speeches made in the past wherein he has indirectly denounced the regimes of his own party men. Insiders of the party recall that president Koirala in the past had also resorted to political manueverings that summarily had caused the collapse of his own party government. The list could go long.

From the current disciplinary action episode a few things come to th fore. Firstly, congress is a party where the party men care less for maintaining discipline. The men in the party make comments on their own caring little over what its impact would be on the very political prestige and the very policy of the party. Secondly, there appears to be two set of rules in the congress e.g one for the party president and the other for the simple cadres. While the party president as could be guessed is exempt from his own party rules and regulations but expects his party men must come under the rules. Thirdly, there is no unity in the congress as would be evident from series of events that have at times brought the party to a precipice. Fourthly, there is lack of coordination in the party which more often than not creates confusion in and among its own workers let alone the outsiders. Fifthly, the party is divided on personal lines wherein the dadres believe the person superior to the institution. sixthly and perhaps mos importantly. the party men give extra importance to "lucrative posts" insted of serving the institution. and finally, there is the total absence of a sort of leader who could bind the congress fabric together in order to maintain its democratic identity to what it claims .

In sum, president Koirala must not take actions in haste. For if he does so might irritate others as well and in the process he might have to face troubles of other frieghtening dimensions. He should forget what the two ministers told. This will perhaps enhance cohesion in the already battered party that is the congress.

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