One day after the King reshuffled the cabinet formed under his chairmanship, leaders of mainstream political parties have described the royal move as a fruitless effort of the King to prolong his autocratic rule.
They further said that the reshuffle has done nothing to solve the problems dogging the country, as the King is not moving towards reconciliation.
Notwithstanding mounting pressure from national and international communities, the King on Wednesday reshuffled the government under his chairmanship. The King has added some leaders of minor political parties in the incumbent government, while sacking some ministers picked up after the February 1 royal takeover.
The King reshuffled the Cabinet at a time when he is facing pressure to find consensus with political parties to restore peace and stability in the country.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the third largest party in the dissolved House of Representatives, which had been threatening to boycott the municipal polls slated for February 8 next year, got key posts in the present cabinet.
Keshar Bahadur Bista and Durga Pohkrel, who were very critical towards the political parties were given posts in the new cabinet.
The King however bypassed the seven opposition political parties while forming new cabinet.
Talking to Nepalnews about the recent reshuffle, Krishna Sitaula, spokesman of Nepali Congress said this is the final attempt of the autocratic King to prolong his autocratic rule.
“The latest move of the King has shown that he is not in favor of reconciliation to restore peace and stability in the country, but rather willing to lead the country towards confrontation,” he said, adding, “Some advocates of autocracy might be happy with the latest move, but most of the people who are in favor of peace and stability are not.”
He further said that there is no option but agitation to restore democracy. He informed that the alliance of seven political parties is holding various programmes in the capital from December 11-15. The mass meeting on December 15 will announce protest programs.
Standing committee member of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli, has dubbed the reshuffle as a fruitless attempt of the King, adding, “There is no point in commenting on it.” When asked how it will affect the ongoing agitation of the seven political parties, he said such minor things could not divert the direction of the agitation, which is moving in its own way towards success.
The reshuffle came at a time when Maoists and political parties had agreed to give the outlet of the Maoist insurgency through interim government and election to the constituent assembly.
Vice-Chairman of People’s Front Nepal, Pari Thapa, said that there is no change in the attitude of the autocratic ruler, so only change of faces would not have any results. “It won’t affect our agitation as it is a continuity of the autocratic rule,” he said.
The seven-parity alliance has said it will boycott any elections conducted by the royal government.
Meanwhile, the central committee meeting of Rastriya Janashakti Party said that the reshuffle has no meaning as it can’t address the problems existing in the country.
A press statement issued by the party after the meeting has described the reshuffle as a mere restructure of the political bureaucracy of the country, which did not have any interrelation with political development of the country.
Stating that RJP’s central member Buddhi Man Tamang was appointed minister without any consultation with the party, the party, made it clear that it will not have representation in the incumbent government.
However the RPP, which received key posts in the government, has taken the appointment as positive. Shiva Hari Poudel, Party Office Chief of RPP, said all the party members were nominated without any consultation with the party, adding, “The party will make its view public on the incumbent government only after analyzing its performance.”
Almost all new faces in the new cabinet are known for their support of the royal move and have been vocal against the ongoing pro-democracy movement being waged by the seven opposition parties, which might widen gap between the monarchy and political parties.
The King is trying to silence critics by firing some ministers who were defamed as corrupts. This is the third cabinet reshuffle since the royal move of February 1 when the King assumed direct power, forming a government under his chairmanship. nepalnews.com