Kathmandu: The question is not whether Prime Minister Koirala resigns voluntarily. Even the question is not whether the entire solid-rock opposition will be able to force Koirala to resign through their combined strength. However, the question is undoubtedly whether Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will be able to withstand the “blizzard” that is already in the “making” and could save his beloved chair or not?

The answers to these questions could be both ways.

For example, it is this country which changed the previous system through the simple use of demonstrations. It is this country that witnessed during the 1990 popular movement some powerful demonstrations in selected places like Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Janakpur and Pokhara which caused the collapse of the erstwhile regime. To sum up, a determined, powerful demonstration with forceful lectures against the Prime Minister will easily force the Prime Minister to resign. This is comparatively an easy task for bringing out such a change in Nepal which other nations’ in the region perhaps take longer and have to sacrifice good number of precious people’s lives.

This means that the blizzard, an artificial creation of the entire opposition forces, will do away with Prime Minister Koirala and his regime very soon.

Even if he survives the opposition onslaught made against him and his chair, the government under him will further lose its legitimacy and the credibility factor perhaps even at this stage remains at its lowest ebb.

Whether the opposition demands of a Girija resignation were a constitutional or an unconstitutional one, the fact is that the entire combined strength has converged at one point in an unprecedented manner. This very much reminds one of the 1990 days when the entire opposition of the Panchayat regime had converged and possessed one slogan: collapse of the Panchayat regime. The regime then could not withstand the internal as well the international pressure and finally yielded.

However, the case in point here is rather different. Fortunately, the combined opposition has simply demanded the resignation of Koirala but not the collapse of the system itself.

To push the Prime Minister further to the wall, the opposition parties- represented in the parliament or not- have decided to arrange a mammoth rally at the Open Theater, Tundikhel this Friday. Undoubtedly this gigantic rally with fiery speeches against the incumbent Prime Minister will add fuel to the fire. It would act like a catalyst for others as well to understand about the gravity of the situation arising out of the Lauda air scandal in which the Prime Minister is himself reportedly involved while procuring the most infamous Lauda air.

It is altogether a different matter as to which violent forces will later contribute their mite in flaring up the already explosive situation.

Intellectuals suspect that at a later stage the Maoists insurgents could join the forces, which have at the moment shouldered the responsibilities of dislodging Prime Minister Koirala.

To sum up, the Friday demonstration and the events that will follow hence will perhaps determine the fate of Koirala and his regime. However, what is for sure is that the “system” remains prone to any powerful intervention from some powerful quarters should the Friday blizzard catapult in a major conflict in between the two almost warring rivals that is the ruling Girija congress and the combined strength of the opposition.

Those who have some knowledge of Koirala’s haughtiness and lust for power will perhaps conclude that he will not resign under duress come what may. This means that the clash between the two opposing rivals is imminent.

Dark clouds hovering over Nepali sky, indeed.