The Nepali Congress party president is getting more sensitive to the deteriorating law and order situation of the country after Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai remained virtually inept to solve the problem.

Since the last two weeks, Koirala has been consulting almost daily with the leaders of the other political parties and with the representatives of the other sectors and professionals on what steps should be taken and policies to be formulated to resolve the issue.        Looking at the indifference shown by the prime minister to the problems and the responsibilities felt by the party president,  it is difficult to guess that the party president will some decisive steps in the near future.

According to sources close to Koirala, the party president will hold serious discussions with the prime minister after the latter returns from England on Sunday. If the two leaders can not maintain mutual consent and understanding it may give rise to new situations. Or, if Prime Minister Bhattarai again decide to go alone, Koirala must take some decisive steps to solve the existing problems.

For the country law and order is the most outstanding problem for the country now and there is no way prime minister can go alone to solve it. The kidnapping of a police DSP and the government’s failure to find him even after three weeks indicate that the government’s information network is much weaker than that of the Maoists. The Maoists have proved their effective and wide network by getting the DSP’s signatured letter published in different newspapers.

In such a situation, it is clear that any further rift in the ruling party will only boost the morale of the Maoists.   So, (it is hoped that) the prime minister will meet with Koirala soon after his arrival and will reshuffle the cabinet to make it.

Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress is facing another challenge from the Palace. If the Nepali Congress remains united it can easily ward off any challenge to democracy. But it would be futile to expect from the faction-ridden Congress to show a show of unity.

Now, the MPs of the Koirala faction are active to create opinion against Bhattarai, and if tomorrow Koirala replaces Bhattarai, the Bhattarai factions will do the same. And several forces near or inside the Palace are working overtime not to let the Congress unite. They have already proved they can split the communists. The palace is also trying to make the Maoist problem linger on to reap the benefit.

According to a member of the Raj Parishad (which is more or less equivalent to the Privy Council of  England) the pro-royalists are not afraid of the Maoists at all. They even claim they can bring all activities under control the Maoists under control if they get a chance. They say the Maoists’ war is only about getting a share of the power. If they get that they will accept both the monarchy and the constitution.

However, the present political leaderships also know it very well who are behind the escalation of the Maoists problem. They now feel if the law and order situation is made to deteriorate, the Congress will have to change the prime minister leading to a deep rift within the party. This could even break up the party completely.  The pro-Royalists may take the opportunity even to topple the whole system.

The first step of the whole game is to oust Bhattarai from the government. Now, the ball is in Bhattarai’s court. If he acts with rationale and allies with Koirala he can avert the situation. If not, it will invite a grave crisis in the Nepali Congress.

(Deshantar, October 10, Sunday)