Kathmandu: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa despite his Himalayan failures during the course of his Hundred Days, the honeymoon period, in government appears determined that he will not resign under normal circumstances.
This he revealed the other day when he invited his own disgruntled party men at a luncheon in his official Baluatar residence.
“Remain assured friends, I will not resign. The time has not come yet to tender resignation. The talks that I will tender my resignation are all wild rumors having no base in that. Don’t get carried away”, is what Thapa told his admirers and party workers who had gathered to enjoy the sumptuous luncheon.
While Thapa’s revelation might have encouraged his followers in the party, his blunt remarks must also have come as a bolt from the blue to those who have had already stitched Daura-Suruwal (Nepal’s national dress) hoping that one fine morning Thapa would resign and the King might invite them to take over the charge of Singh Durbar.
Thapa not only told the gathering that he would not resign but also clearly hinted that he would now go in for the expansion of his mini-cabinet by inducting some leaders from less-known political parties.
Sources close to Thapa say that the Prime Minister is at the moment extensively busy in sorting out the names whom he wishes to induct in the cabinet prior to the Dashain festivals.
The same sources say that Thapa might induct one from NSP splinter led by Badri Mandal, one Mr. Narayan Singh Pun from the Samata Party; one from namesake Hariyali party and a sizeable number from his own party-the RPP.
Prime Minister Thapa hopes that he could steer the nation with the support of the smaller parties which means that neither he will resign nor he would care for the participation of the mainstream political parties now in agitation.
Thapa has apparently been told by the King to expand his cabinet, if possible, by inducting some from the agitating parties in order to give it a shape of an all-party government. Thapa has failed so far. The agitating five Monday afternoon declared that they will not join the Thapa cabinet come what may.
This means that Thapa will continue as the nation’s Prime Minister but would continue his efforts at seducing his colleagues in the conglomerate of the big-5 so that the general population could honor his sincerity.
Should this mean that Madhav Nepal, the UML leader, is still far from bright and the sunny days? Should this mean that Thapa has for the time being capped all the possibilities of Madhav Nepal being elevated to the Prime Ministerial ranks?
Perhaps yes!
That Madhav Nepal has already concluded for a while that his days were not forthcoming due to Thapa’s fresh statements, it is only but natural that the communist leader should now begin threatening the King.
A reflection to that becomes clear when Mr. Nepal says, “ Those who talk of adjusting oneself to the changed realities of the 21st century should also act that in no way goes against the sovereign rights of the people or else the declaration becomes meaningless”.
A careful analysis of this statement reveals that the communist veteran is well aware of the King’s earlier declaration wherein he had time and again said that he would be a King befitting in the 21st century. Madhav’s statement means that the King is not acting according to his own earlier statements. He then in the same vein wishes to hint the King that he has stripped off the people from their sovereign rights as granted and accepted by the 1990 constitution. The Communist stalwart then warns the King not to go against the wishes of the people.
Madhav Nepal is a changed personality now. The person who till the other day deliberately avoided acquiring any tough posture vis-à-vis the King has suddenly started sending strong signals to the Palace. This clearly means that Madhav Nepal is not happy with the King’s stoic silence that he has been keeping as regards to the country’s political situation.
Mr. Nepal’s outburst also appears to have been guided by the King’s denial a post for him for which he, as rumors have it, was roughly assured by the monarch prior to his trip to London.
It should not only be Mr. Nepal who felt have threatened from Thapa’s fresh statements but the latter’s disclosure must have come as a disappointing note for the rest of the leaders in the big-5 conglomerate.
However, Madhav Nepal must understand that he remains no more a consensus candidate as his own colleagues in the “ five party alliance for the restoration of democracy and constitutional rights of the people” put it.
Dr. Ram Saran Mahat and a host of others in the congress and some in the alliance itself have started hinting Madhav Nepal that he no more is a consensus candidate for the post of the Prime Minister simply because things have changed.
Then he was. Now he is not.
This changed political perspective also could have added to the mental agony of Monsieur Nepal. The King is not yielding in his favor. The political parties now say that he is no more their consensus candidate. Add to this the possible pressure on the King from the international community suggesting the monarch not to “increase” the strength of the communists for obvious reasons. Surprisingly, the Indian establishment too appears to have gone against Madhav Nepal being elevated to the ranks of the post of the Prime Minister. Is it that Thapa outweighs Madhav in their scheme of things? Keep on debating.
Poor Madhav Nepal. But then yet, a sizeable chunk of the Nepali population has soft corner for Mr. Nepal. But does that possess any meaning? But people’s support is what a political leader of the sort of Mr. Nepal should keep on counting in a democracy.