GP KOIRALA Leading From The Front

April 16, 2004
3 MIN READ
A
A+
A-

Koirala has hardly received this level of support when he opted for the constructive approach

By KESHAB POUDEL

Only a few politicians have a history like that of octogenarian Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala. He was denounced widely and was stopped from making constructive decisions while he was in power. The same man is receiving an unprecedented level of support when he agreed to tread a destructive course.

Had he received this sort of backing from his opponents during his tenure as a prime minister, a committed and strong-minded person like Koirala could have done a lot of positive things for the country.

One of the unfortunate aspects of his political life has been that when Koirala took reconciliatory stand and went for constructive work, he was denounced by all and sundry. Interestingly, when he agreed to play a confrontational political role, he was hugged by even the fiercest of his critics. Yesterday’s political opponents belonging to every shade of ideologies including extremists, now call him as their supreme leader and commander of their agitation.

Koirala is the last leader in Nepali Congress who is capable to take any political decision. Unlike other Congress leaders, Koirala does not try to show off his lifestyle. From a small and modest 10 ft by 14 ft room at the residence of his nephew Dr. Shashanka Koirala, he conducts all his functions meeting political workers, leaders, foreign dignitaries, messengers and ministers.

However, when Koirala led the government, all the leaders including CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, United People’s Front leader Lilamani Pokharel, current prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa and Narayan Bijukcche joined hands to stop him from even entering into the House of Representatives.

It is an irony that presently all his diehard opponents who denounced him as the most corrupt political leader are accepting him as the undisputed leader to lead the five party agitation.

Among the present lot of political leaders, octogenarian leader Koirala is the only one who can mobilize all his party workers at a single command. Koirala is also considered to be a reliable political negotiator who has been grossly misunderstood in Nepalese politics.

Unlike other political leaders, Koirala, who is a man of political conscience, does not lie to maximize political gain. When he received injury on his head, newspapers blamed police for mishandling. Koirala, however, countered the news saying that police should not be blamed for it.

“Our agitation is not against constitutional monarchy. I just want to see reactivation of Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal. Once the constitution is reactivated, there is no question to continue the agitation,” said Koirala. “The King must respond to us positively.”

Junior Koirala is also facing similar situation like his elder brother B.P. Koirala -who was condemned by all his opponents at a time when he was trying to build nation. All the opposition from extreme right to communists backed him, when B.P. raised arms against Panchayat.

There is no dearth of people who do not want to see Koirala but his role is inevitable in current politics. “Unfortunate thing is that we are unable to use Koirala to serve the broader national interest,” said an analyst.