Nepal’s political cartoonists are having a field day with Baidya Maoists’ ever-changing stance. Ever since April Fools’ Day when Khil Raj Regmi became head of the government, CPN-M has become a master of double speak, circulating wildly contradictory statements about the CA elections in November. One day they say they will take part, next day they pull out because the government sent them a ‘humiliating’ letter.
Everyone thought it had come to a climax when party secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa smashed a mock ballot box with a hammer on stage, much to the delight of his comrades. Not one to let sideshows falter him, Chairman Baidya again told the press that his party was positive about talks because – surprise, surprise – it had received a more ‘respectful’ request. Here’s what cartoonists came up with this week: