Kathmandu: Nepali politics has suddenly become vibrant.

Most of the political leaders, either in the shaky coalition government or out in the streets, appear pretty enthusiastic in providing the Maoists imbroglio a new turn for the better.

In the process, some have marched already alone hoping that the Maoists insurgency, if it were to settle for good, it is only they who can influence the talks and bring the insurgents to the nation’s political mainstream.

For example, President Koirala has vowed that he was alone enough to settle the Maoists problem and that he have had so many round of talks with the Maoists leaders either being in Delhi or even in Kathmandu.

Madhav Nepal, the strongman of the UML, is also in the race and is learnt to have maintained his contacts with the Maoists leaders since his last controversial Lucknow trip. Strong rumors have it that the UML leader only last week talked with Comrade Prachanda over telephone and apparently told him that his party will spare no efforts this time to bring the insurgents to the table.

Mr. Nepal’s telephonic conversation with Prachanda has come immediately after Koirala’s assertions that he had already held discussions with the Maoists leader. It appears that Madhav Nepal is on the race only to negate the gains of Koirala and his fresh conversations with Prachanda was guided more with a desire to keep Koirala at a comfortable distance than to settle the issue for good.

It is not surprising therefore that the UML and its leader, Madhav Nepal, have been pressing the government hard to announce a ceasefire and prepare a conducive atmosphere so that the talks could begin at the earliest.

Madhav’s desire to outmaneuver Koirala’s overtures grew to the extent that he and his party only a few hours ago absolved the Maoists from being dubbed as terrorists.

“The Maoists are not terrorists as some would claim. However, some of their activities did amount to terrorism”, is what the UML party announced Tuesday afternoon as reported by Kantipur Television.

A section of the analysts believe that Madhav’s enthusiasm could have some thing to do with Prachanda’s preference for talks. However, this has yet to be substantiated.

Talking of Koirala, he is providing an impression to all and sundry that if he were to initiate the talks with the rebels, he does not need the sanctions of the establishment. His utterances make it amply clear is that he would go in for the talks with the Maoists by out rightly “ignoring” the presence of the government that is the “old regime”. But can he do so is a Himalayan question indeed. What if he walks alone?

However, a clever Madhav Nepal, some what differs with his street-friend until a month ago, and says that he is in favor of early talks but he would not “bypass” the government. This is very natural for the UML itself is a constituent in the government and he can’t ignore a regime wherein his own party’s participation is predominant. To recall, Madhav Nepal is also on record to have said the other day that while taking up the Maoists issue one can neither afford to Nepal’s Royal Palace nor New Delhi.

What Mr. Nepal means when he says that New Delhi can’t be ignored is not clear. However, what is clear is that New Delhi has a role. But what type of role Madhav is talking about is still shrouded in mystery.

Collecting Koirala’s and Madhav’s fresh overtures together, what becomes clear is that both the leaders have taken up the challenge on their own with a hope that if they succeeded in settling the issue would elevate them individually to the rank of a national hero. But will Koirala tolerate this title going to Madhav’s personality and vice versa?

This is not all.

Other leaders like Lila Mani Pokhrel and Amik Sherchan and a host of many others too have been announcing that they were in contacts with the Maoists.

Add to this the four-party combine now in the streets with a punctured and fractured agitation against regression, too have beamingly declared that they too had established linkages with the Maoists.

Thanks that the government, better late than never, too Monday afternoon announced that a cell was being established that would do the needful in this regard.

All put together, Koirala is in his solo mission. Madhav and his party too have taken up the challenge. Smaller communist factions appear encouraged. The government is following the footsteps of those who were on the move in order to bring the Maoists to the table.

The Maoists as a political force are one. However, they have been maintaining close contacts with practically all the major political parties including the government.

Should this mean that Comrade Prachanda is swinging the Nepali politics his way and will continue to do so until the talks resume?

Political parties of various shades demand peace. The government is longing for that. The Maoists have never said that they will not come to the table. But where is peace if they all were committed for peace?

What factors in effect impeding the peace process to resume?

Keep on guessing.