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In the past, they played second fiddle to leaders as diverse as Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal without pausing for the effect these strange alliances would have on party rank and file. The party of the great flip-floppers seems to be about to flip-flop again.
The UML leadership isn't too happy with its own performance in the Maoist-led government. K P Oli and Madhab Nepal have always been trenchant in their criticism of the Maoists, but now even Jhalnath Khanal is rattling his sabre. The only explanation is that the leadership is beginning to feel the pressure from below about being too cosy with the Maoists.
If unity of the Nepali left is its ultimate goal the UML would have to learn to live with Pushpa Kamal Dahal as leader. However, if Madan Bhandari's multi-party socialism path is still valid then the UML will have to rethink a conjugal relationship with the Maoists.
The MJF will also soon face its moment of reckoning. Their nominees in the government have done only marginally better than the UML, but only just. They risk losing more in political terms because their grassroots are different from the UML and the Maoists. It was courageous of Bijay Gachhedar to admit that 'One Madhes, One Pradesh' was merely a political slogan. Prolonged participation in government may even lead to fragmentation between radical and pragmatic groups in the party unless the Madhesi ministers in government start exhibiting accountability to the long-suffering people of the four districts of the eastern Tarai which they represent.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal threatened to quit the government to appease hardliners in his own party. But it seems to have given his coalition partners ideas that they could do the same.
As prime minister, Dahal needs to realise the unintended consequences of his statements. He must learn to stop speaking from both sides of his mouth. He should realise that as an elected leader he can't afford to be an extremist and should show more integrity and statesmanship.
