Analysis: Koirala sees ‘design’ in UML leader’s secret India trip

December 3, 2003
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Kathmandu: Nepali Congress president sees a “design” when Madhav Nepal enters the Indian territory and meets the Maoists’ leader Prachanda.

For Koirala, Madhav’s going to India were not a decision taken by the UML leader on his own. Koirala reveals that Madhav Nepal went to Lucknow at the instructions of King Gyanendra.

Koirala has reasons to be unhappy with both the King and Madhav Nepal.

Koirala’s anger on Mr. Nepal is presumably because the latter did not seek any advice from his prior to his Lucknow secret sojourn. It is only but natural that Koirala felt cheated when one of the prominent partner of the coalition against “regression” minimized Koirala’s role in the country’s politics more so when it came to a meeting between two communist stalwarts and that too in a alien land.

Had Koirala been informed by Mr. Nepal of his secret trip to Lucknow, the act would not have been otherwise. Its corollary would be that whosoever wishes to conduct such a tour to foreign country, he or she must take proper instructions from president Koirala. Failing to do so tantamount to a design. If further analyzed, it should be Koirala and he alone who should take such positive initiatives on behalf of the nation. Others do not possess the right to act in a manner that simply offends Koirala.

Koirala’s anger for the King is, analysts say, conditional. The condition set by Koirala for the King is very simple.

If the King toed Koirala’s line, he is one of the best friends of the monarch. If the King goes against Koirala or exhibits his reluctance in accepting to the Koirala demands, the King is dubbed as a designer.

It’s not very surprising therefore Koirala sees a design woven by the King in Madhav Nepal’s sneaking to India last fortnight. Not only that, according to Koirala, Madhav Nepal by acting under the instructions of the King has already become a part of the design.

Informed analysts in Kathmandu say that Koirala in attacking the King and the UML leader at a go is simply creating discord in between the parties whom is is attacking of late. Understandably, if Madhav Nepal is pressed to the wall, he would retaliate with equal force which will not be very good for the political health of the already loose fight against regression.

That Madhav Nepal is now looking the five party agitation in a different manner comes to light when one notes Mr. Nepal’s growing political hob-nobbing with Koirala’s political detractors, for example, Sher Bahadur Deuba. Informed sources say that Madhav Nepal is already in the move and in the process he is meeting the leaders of various political shades in order to restore normalcy in the country. The aim is to convince the King that it would be wise for him also if the monarch joined hands with the agitating political leaders in the larger interest of the nation. In the process, high placed sources say that Madhav Nepal and Koirala differ on so many counts which means that there is already a fissure in the five party coalition.

The fact is that Koirala dislikes Madhav Nepal for obvious political reasons. Madhav Nepal can’t remain silent and halt his newly developed political ideas simply for fear of president Koirala.

The leaders of the Sadbhavana ( Anandi devi) faction are in the agitation simply to garner political recognition from the population or else the party is as good as cipher. Albeit, its presence could be seen in some areas of Terai region.

The leader of the NMKP, Narayan Man, is already up against the congress and the UML leaders and has recently said that those two parties were power lust political entities and nothing more than that.

Putting together, what comes to the fore is that the five party coalitions is already counting its last breath. Unless a sort of miracle saved their unity, the coalition is gone.

Be that as it may, Madhav Nepal’s new initiatives have a resemblance in Bajpayee’s fresh statement wherein the Indian Prime Minister urges Nepal to move ahead with a sort of all-party government. This is exactly what Madhav Nepal is doing at the moment.

Whether it is just a mere coincidence or otherwise will have to be watched.

The fact is that all the major political forces must come closer to the King and vice versa. Analysts see no other viable option than this. If this does happen might prepare grounds for elections.

Once the elections are held, the derailed constitution would automatically come to its original track. Once the new parliament comes into action, the system and the constitution will automatically begin functioning as desired by Koirala and his colleagues in the coalition, say analysts. This will enhance the capability of the government in power to initiate talks with the rebels.