Kathmandu: The four party coalition government headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba might collapse any moment from now if not handled with care.
While the smaller partners in the coalition, for example, the RPP and the NSP, have no say in the cabinet presumably, all that is being done or not done is due to the big-fight that is on in between the party led by the prime minister and the UML.
The fact is that the UML is playing foul and appears in a mood to press Deuba so hard that he might either prefer to yield to their innumerable political demands or resign out of sheer mental tension.
The fact is also that the UML is eying elections and is presumed to have already collected the required amount. Thanks the mechanism devised by the finance minister prior to the declaration of the budget that the party now can face the elections and that money will not be a problem at all.
Not very surprising therefore that the UML this time agreed to content itself with some ministries that in the eyes of the lay men were not that lucrative. However, the fact is that the UML occupies those ministries which mean much so far as monetary benefits are concerned.
For example, the ministries of labor, finance and industry and commerce are supposedly milking cows and the UML knows how to milk.
On yet another front the UML is pressing the government very hard. It is the Maoists issue wherein the party led by Deuba and the party led by Madhav Nepal differ.
While on the one hand the UML would wish the government to announce a ceasefire unilaterally and lift the red corner notice and terrorist tag from the Maoists insurgency at the earliest, on the other, Deuba would wish to do the needed homework prior to the announcement of the talks with the Maoists.
In doing so the UML apparently wishes to send signals to the Maoists quarters that it were this party that were really concerned for the Maoists issue. However, the fact could be entirely different. Logically, if the Maoists come to the table and fortunately agree to join the national political mainstream and fight the elections, in that case, it would be the UML which will have to loose votes in the villages and the districts. This would mean that the Maoists will cut the UML votes and not those of the congress and of the RPP.
This the UML knows but yet daringly encourages the Maoists to join the mainstream politics. Question could be asked as to whether the UML call for the Maoists is a genuine or a fishy one?
But then yet analysts find no clue to suspect the very credentials of the UML leadership so far as their preference for talks with the Maoists is concerned. Unless it is proved, the UML possesses the right to enjoy the benefit of doubt.
Nevertheless, the UML has so far remained unable to hide its preference that the congress remain divided. Understandably, a divided Congress till the elections is a bonus for the UML by all means. If elections are held by chance and the congress remains a divided house until then, the UML will emerge as a party that would sweep the elections in its favor. However, it is not that easy as is being made of.
The fact is that the UML under Madhav Nepal’s leadership too is a divided house. Reports have it that stalwarts like Woli and Gautam have already initiated mechanisms that ultimately tarnishes the image of their known detractor-Mr. Nepal, who totally ignored them at time of the selection of the candidates to be sent to the Deuba cabinet. Insiders of the UML say that most of the ministers now in the cabinet were the yes-men of Madhav Nepal.
The manner some media close to the party have suddenly begun challenging the very credentials of minister Raghu Ji Pant on the issue of Lumbini Overseas Company that is dealing with the workers to be sent to Korea under a quota does hint that a very powerful section of the UML itself is hell bent on exposing minister Pant indicating that the minister could have struck fishy deals with the said company for party coffers.
The minister is currently in a row with the company and there is a tussle in between the minister and the company for reasons that still remain shrouded in mystery.
Luckily, strongman Madhav Nepal is in Korea at the moment.
Deuba’s slow speed in moving the peace process forward and the UML’s extra interest taken in regard to the Maoists issue is puzzling indeed.
What is more puzzling is Dr. Mohsin question as to what the prime minister means when he says that he was ready to acquire a posture wherein he could exhibit his utmost flexibility in the talks with the Maoists.
The UML prefers maximum flexibility to be shown by the government. The state says it would do so but not cross the limits of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. The UML suggests that if need be the government should search options even by ignoring the boundaries of the 1990 constitution. The government says that it can’t.
The deadlock thus continues.
UML’s minister looking after finance says the talks with the Maoists were round the corner. Prachanda says he does not see the possibility of talks at the moment. Other political parties see yes in Prachanda’s no. Deuba opines that better late than never, he would go in for talks only if he became sure of positive results.
The puzzle thus continues.