Kathmandu: The Nepali Congress under Girija Prasad Koirala has suddenly changed its old clothes.

Today’s Nepali Congress is a new party, which has rejected all of its former ideologies, which used to guide the party in its conduct of national affairs.

A dramatic shift is there in the congress now.

The party the other day brought about a major change in its policies vis-à-vis the monarchy. To recall, the NC was a party that had been advocating all along its inception till last week that she would go in for the continuation of constitutional monarchy under all circumstances come what may. However, the NC has taken a fresh decision which indicated that the party could go in search of other political options available if those newly approved decisions bode well for the country and peace restored.

But then yet the NC has not totally abandoned its line of the constitutional monarchy for unexplained reasons. Analysts see meaning in the NC’s new thinking which apparently has created reverberations in the political circle.

The NC in its new decisions has kept the options of constituent assembly open. The party is liberal for a embracing a referendum if the nation so desired to solve the acute political crisis as demanded by the Maoists as well.

Matured political analysts say that with the congress’ puzzling decision any party or any political paraphernalia that has benefited then it is singularly the Maoists only for the congress decision in favor of the constituent assembly has come at a time when the Maoists had become desperate and had begun feeling that the government under Deuba in no way would heed to their demand for a constituent assembly. However, thanks Koirala that the Maoists have become able in securing what in effect they had been demanding from the “old regime”.

With this changed political scenario, now those supporting or were close to Maoists demand for a constituent assembly are the Maoists in the first place followed by Koirala’s congress and tentatively Madhav Nepal’s UML which, if one were to recall, still believes that the party’s final goal is to land nepal into a republican state. The fact is that the last manifesto of the UML reiterates that the party’s final objective is to make Nepal a republican state and that for the time being only the party has favored constitutional monarchy. Perhaps this explains the UML’s mood and intent in the long run.

For the Maoists, Koirala’s sudden decision in favor of the constituent assembly must have come as a bumper prize for the Maoists who must now see in Koirala the figure of a messiah who has supported their cause at time of crisis.

However, analysts remain puzzled over the new stance taken by the NC the other day. Except congress ideologue Narhari Acharya, most of the NC leaders were not so vocal in favor of the constituent assembly. To recall, Koirala as the president of the party too was not that serious when he used to challenge the King through his off-the-cuff remarks in the past that if the King did not correct his past constitutional blunders he and his party would be forced to devise schemes that forced the King to come to terms. However, the King visibly ignored Koirala’s remarks and preferred to go his way to which he apparently considered to be constitutional ones thus adding more to Koirala’s mental agonies.

Now that the NC has already decided to go the constituent assembly way, let’s examine as to which factors forced the congress to take this decisions.

Firstly, analysts say that the NC decision is guided more by a sense of revenge with the King than it is, as is being alleged or presumed, prompted to support the Maoists. It should have been by default.

Secondly, Koirala has managed this decision upon his return from India wherein he was accorded this time a red-carpet welcome. Analysts say that NC’s fresh decision could have some seeds which he brought upon listening to his Indian mentors or else he would have not abruptly jumped onto a decision that the party had so far rejected. However, no substantial proof is available to conclude that NC leader arrived at this decision on the influence of leaders across the border.

Thirdly, a section of analysts conclude that NC’s preference for a constituent assembly will die a premature death if the King made Koirala the nation’s next prime minister. No one can guarantee the weightage contained in this whimsical theory but then looking at Koirala’s lust for power and chair which he has exhibited in the not so distant past, analysts opine that if the King hinted Koirala then he might change his decision leaving all of his party men to keep on guessing as to what charisma changed their leaders’ heart so suddenly.

Not very surprising therefore that the lone crusader in the NC, Ms. Shailaja Acharya-a close relative of the president Koirala, who preferred to pen her note of dissent by saying that congress by taking the decision in favor of constituent assembly has axed its own feet. In her opinion, by effecting ample of changes in the 1990 constitution itself, most of the Maoists demands could have been met, which in turn would have not damaged the NC credentials.

The Maoists quarter have yet to respond to the NC’s fresh decision that by implication supported their own preference for a constituent assembly.

As the luck would have it, most of the NC leaders who have favored constituent assembly were on the hit list of the CIAA. A mere conjecture or…… A serious matter that demands debate indeed!