Kathmandu: The country should go to the polls?

The country has to go to the polls.

The country can’t afford to go to the polls under the existing fluid situations.

The country of late is bogged down in these few expressions emanating from various political and non-political quarters.

Polls without bringing the Maoists to table will be definitely a difficult proposition indeed. However, the country can’t afford avoiding elections to the parliament for an indefinite period.

The fact is also that the government of the day has to abide by the instructions provided it by the King at time of the formation of this government.

Should the government go in for elections only to keep the King’s wishes or should the King be appealed for granting some more grace period in order to provide the Maoists yet another chance to come to the negotiating table?

Both the propositions appear valid in the prevailing circumstances.

But then can a scared Sher Bahadur Deuba dare to request the King for yet another grace period of the sort of what he had made some two years ago and invited a summary dismissal of his government?

Perhaps a frightened Deuba would not dare to seek such a grace period but instead would prefer to throw the country to the hustings come what may.

Deuba would prefer the second option in order to avoid being once again dubbed as incompetent one.

It is this fear psychosis that is prompting Sher Bahadur Deuba to gear up for the polls caring little that what would happen to the credibility and the legitimacy of the poll results if it were conducted even in several phases and boycotted by major contending political parties?

In an indirect manner, the parties in the streets have already indicated that they will not participate in the polls and would challenge the very credibility of the poll results if the polls were conducted against their will.

Instead of going to the polls, the parties in the streets have suggested Deuba and his government to restore the now dissolved parliament.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba remains undeterred to such propositions and says that parliament restoration was impossible.

Surprisingly, the just appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Hari Prasad Sharma, in no uncertain terms too has hinted that he does not favor the restoration of the parliament and that the courts be not made to intervene in exclusive political matters.

This statement more or less indicates that during the tenure of Justice Sharma, the question of the restoration of the parliament will be shelved. Justice Sharma’s tenure at the nation’s apex court is due to expire this July-August.

Close analyses at these new developments reveal that Deuba would not go in for the restoration of the parliament. The Chief Justice is more or less against the parliament revival. The King would apparently not challenge the previous verdict of the Supreme Court. This means that Koirala’s ambition of the revival of the parliament would not materialize.

Under these prevailing circumstances, the UML’s sudden desire to work in favor for the restoration of the parliament is not only intriguing but scaring as well.

How come a party that till the other day advocated against the restoration of the parliament could now initiate clandestine moves to convince fellow colleagues for the house revival?

Question arises as to whether this new idea is exclusively a UML brain or the party of the communist has begun acting on lines that are foreign?

It could be a mere conjecture indeed but one has to admit that UML leader Madhav Nepal has begun talking in favor of parliament restoration only after New Delhi expressed her inner intent for the house revival as expressed by and Indian Daily last week which hinted that when the Nepal King will be in Delhi, India would tell the King to look into this agenda.

Interestingly, New Delhi’s new agenda matches with Koirala and freshly with Madhav Nepal’s. Is it a mere coincidence or ………………….

Be that as it may, Deuba’s penchant to go in for the elections could prove to be an adventure that is fraught with dangers.

The fact is that the Maoists have already declared that if elections were declared, the party would do every thing to disturb the elections tooth and nail.

This means Deuba has so many enemies, seen and unseen, if he dares to go in for the hustings. The parties in the streets have opposed the elections. The Maoists are up against the elections. More so Deuba’s coalition partner, the communists, too appear against the elections.

Under these disturbing situations question arises how Deuba could conduct the polls even if he is backed by the nation’s army wholeheartedly?

It is time that Deuba thought of inviting the Maoists once again. Analysts see no other better option than this.

The King too should initiate consultations with potential leaders, cabinet members and members of the security agencies and decide on whether to allow a grace period to Deuba or sack him once again.

Albeit, Deuba is a sinking horse. His detractors neither appreciate him nor the King has reasons to be thankful for his past dismal performances that have hit the poor hard.