BBC Nepali: What was the focus of the NC’s central committee meeting today?
Gagan Thapa: Some of our senior party leaders including Sushil Koirala, Ramchandra Poudel and Sher Bahadur Deuba were initially positive about the proposal put forward by the UCPN (M) to set up an election government led by the chief justice. However, many central committee members strongly opposed the idea. So we ruled out the possibility of accepting the sitting CJ as the executive head at today’s meeting.
Why do you think they were positive and willing to accommodate the Maoist proposal?
They think by agreeing to the plan, Baburam Bhattarai will resign and fresh elections can be held.
But then the same leaders have also cited the fundamental democratic principle of the separation of powers, didn’t they mention that?
They argue that this is the only way to break the impasse and we must remain flexible at such a sensitive time.
Why do you think senior NC leaders are increasingly focusing only on the Maoists’ proposal?
It is like the Maoist leaders assigned a homework and our leaders are dutifully completing it. The meeting today also made it clear that the NC’s leadership is becoming ineffective and unsuccessful day by day. It is appalling that we are even discussing the Maoists’ proposal. When our bid to lead the country was tabled, no one paid much attention and it was quickly dismissed. But the Maoists’ fickle proposals that will only push the country backward, unfortunately manage to garner so much interest within our party.
Who else were in favour of the new proposal?
A few officials and central committee members. They say that sometimes the party is greater than the leadership and sometimes the country is greater than the leadership, and under such difficult circumstances backing the Maoists’ plan is the right decision.
What arguments were put forward by those opposed to this plan?
If the principle of separation of power is not respected, then the foundation of democracy is compromised. If this happens, we might as well shut down the party. If ending the current political deadlock is the priority and this is the only remaining option we should have just agreed on the Maoist party’s original ‘people’s constitution’. Had that happened we could have even led the government.
Yes holding elections should be our main goal and for that we are willing to withdraw our candidacy from the electoral government, but that doesn’t mean we give up our democratic norms and values. The NC should have put its foot down and turned down the proposal straightaway. Unfortunately, some members decided to play by the Maoists’ rules.
So what is the alternative then?
Going to polls by 29 May is our greatest priority and for that the NC is ready to work on a unity government even if it is led by some other party, but with consensus on upcoming polls. If the parties cannot decide on leadership we are even willing to accept an independent candidate chosen collectively. The Congress now needs to take the initiative to implement this alternative plan and decide on the formation of a new government in the few days.
If the Maoists don’t agree, then that will put us back to square one. Don’t you think the conditions are becoming increasingly unfavorable for polls in May?
There is no point rushing into elections that will jeopardise the values of democracy. Although it doesn’t sound pleasant right now, pushing the polls by a few months won’t make a big difference. Since the day the Maoists rejected our party president’s candidacy to lead the electoral government, we have been open to holding polls even under the leadership of Pushpa Kamal Dahal just so that Nepal can move ahead. The NC can and will sacrifice whatever is required to hold polls on time, but the country should not be asked to make these sacrifices.
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