Kathmandu: The nation continues to be in a state of political/constitutional stagnation.
The government led by Thapa is a mess for it is facing challenge to its existence from a party that elevated him to power. The fact is that the party is already on the verge of collapse.
On another plane, the UML top-hats differ on how to take the recent actions initiated by the monarchy. The majority in the party sees the King becoming active in his dealings with the affairs of the state. Others have taken it as a normal course of action and hence prefer not to denounce the King and his fresh, as some prefer to call “assertive” overtures.
Moreover, the party’s high command still believes that the King one fine morning may invite its leaders and forge a sort of consensus in the formation of a government that is also appreciated by Girija Prasad Koirala. It is this belief that has restricted Madhav Nepal in going berserk against the monarchy.
The monarchy could have hinted so to the UML or the UML is led to believe that the party enjoys the secret favour of the monarchy.
The monarchy is silent, which is what has been confusing not only the UML but also others as well including the Congress, and other smaller parties now housed in the coalition against what they prefer to call “regression”.
Koirala is the one who is clear about the monarchy. It is Koirala and none other than Koirala who has time and again made it clear that the constitutional monarchy is crossing the limits prescribed to it by the constitution and that the King wishes an assertive role for himself.
The King denies Koirala’s allegations and repeatedly assures the countrymen that he would not go the Koirala way but instead prefer a role that is a “constructive” one.
The political parties, including the Maoists presume that a King can’t be a constructive one unless he becomes an “active” monarch.
In the process, the people are simply thrown into confusion because of varied interpretations provided by the King, Koirala and other mini-political animals.
The ground reality is that each and every one currently in the political tussle with each other is losing credibility in the eyes of the bewildered people.
For example, the congress is being seen by the people as a party that ruined the nation to a greater extent for a greater portion of the democratic years the party was in power. The people, furthermore, conclude, as a matter of past experience, that it is Koirala and Koirala alone who has contributed a lot in bringing in this chaotic scenario in the country to which the King, by default, manipulated. Koirala’s arrogance, adamance and his, above all, inimical stance taken against any one who opposed his Hitlerite decisions, were the sole reasons that caused this mishap in the country.
Koirala remains undeterred.
Add to this his “ego” to bend the King is also one factor that has compounded the problem further.
The UML as communist outfit is no less a power hungry lot. Indeed, its lust for power is lesser that the Koirala’s congress.
The UML is also a divided lot and hence has so many issues to be sorted out prior to venturing to aspire for the executive posts.
The UML is with the King. The UML is not with the King. It is this dubious stance that has weakened the party from within. Add to this, the party has a tendency now to eliminate any one who opposes Madhav Nepal. For example, R.K.Mainali whose contributions to the party is no less than Mr. Nepal’s itself, has been sacked for his implied support to the monarch’s moves.
The smaller parties, for instance, the NMKP and the NSP, were at best local or regional parties whose sphere of influence remains limited in certain specified areas. It is this fact that forces them all to toe the lines of those who mean much in Nepali politics. In other words, the NMKP and the NSP were no more than a political tool and tail of the comparatively bigger parties. They are with the bigger parties hoping for a seat or two in the next government, if at all it is formed prior to the elections.
However, the smaller parties at times pose that they were some things to be reckoned with. The fact is that the complex of being small forces them to cry louder.
All put together, the parties, though housed in one camp, differ on so many counts which is being exploited by the powers-that-be in today’s Nepal.
Good news for Deuba indeed.
The coalition has decided that they could include Deuba’s party in the coalition against regression.
Though outwardly, all conclude that the King has exceeded his constitutional limits. Equally true is that each and every party is aspiring for posts in a government that will conduct elections.
The fact is that they all wish to be in a government so that they can influence elections. Why to risk parliamentary seats if their representation is not in the government?
Million dollar question is: will Thapa resign voluntarily in order to allow his rivals in the congress and communist parties to bounce back to power?
If Thapa is the one whom the analysts know better, it would only be a miracle that would throw Thapa out from Singh Durbar.