Ready, steady, no? - Nepali Times

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA

GET THE MESSAGE: The APF circumnavigates the newly renovated Swayambhu as part of its morning drill

The wait will be over by Friday midnight, whether there is an agreement or a disagreement on extending the CA tenure.

If there is no agreement, the CA expires on Friday midnight and so does the Interim Constitution. This will create a constitutional vacuum that could push the country to confrontation.

The Maoists have refused to support the government's proposal to extend the CA's term, demanding the prime minister's resignation and a national unity government first. The government needs a two-thirds majority to amend the constitution and extend the CA, for which Maoist votes are required.

During Wednesday's meeting with Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal turned down the Maoist demand. Nepal has long maintained that the Maoists should name a prime ministerial candidate acceptable to all, following which he will quit. However, the Maoists have been unable to name an alternative to Dahal.

"It's not about the package deal, it's about the prime-ministership. This will continue until a candidate is named," says Ramnath Dhakal, CA member and chairperson of the State Affairs Committee.

The Maoists desperately want some position in the state mechanism. Currently, NC and UML are holding all the major positions: Constitutional Committee chair, president and CA chair. The government (conspicuous in the absence of Maoists) has nominated chiefs and commissioners of constitutional bodies as well as the governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. It's no wonder the Maoists feel hard done by.

Maoist CA nominee Hari Roka asserts that the Maoists should be given space in the state mechanism simply to balance power. But the current coalition refuses to forsake power. "PM Nepal's statement against the CA and all the government nominations say it all," he says.

So what will happen if the CA is allowed to expire? CA Chair Subhas Nembang has been issuing warnings that both prime minister and president will cease to be legitimate once the CA expires. A caretaker government will take over, after which we will be operating in a constitutional void. But some lawyers argue that the parliament will remain intact even if the CA expires. Truth be told, we haven't been here before.

READ ALSO:
Politics abhors a vacuum, Publisher's Note
Engage the monarchy, Birja Bahadur Bista
Flex-ible, Prashant Jha
Full circle FM, CK Lal
United we fall, Indu Nepal
Just questions, Ashutosh Tiwari
Two seconds to midnight, Ass
Whither constitution writing

1. pasdo
why not go back to 047 papers then? easy, no?

Posted on: 28 MAY 2010 | 3:52 PM NST

2. B2F
The words are beautiful, but the image attached with is greater and more powerful though it forecasts worse happenings... hurr!

Posted on: 28 MAY 2010 | 4:41 PM NST

3. Devendra Panchakoti
Well, the CA is either on - Lock, Stock & Barrel, or its simply gone with the wind. Who's to curse, who's to blame or Who's to bless for this? The alternative doesn't seem to be the issue of who's going to be the next PM,albeit, the communist chief got his chance, but what happened? He fumbled with the most sensitive organs in the country; & we are all too familiar with the developments from then on. And again, retroactively, providing them space, rank & file, position, name it, they had it in their hands for something like 8-9 months when they were virtually ruling the country, but they took the law in their own hands, typical extremists style, for which the end result was the current PM is where he is today; due to an embarrassing resignation by the communist chief then. All said & done, what seems to be truly justified at the moment is the integration of the 'pla & the dismantling of the ycl', 2 extremely politically indoctrinated & violent outfits under the control of the ucpn - m, the biggest power balance of all, & in the light of this threatening power balance, how could the uml & the congress party trust the maoists?? or rather, how could we have 2 armies existing in the same country, one a regular army & the other ex-insurgents who fought each tooth & nail? & then, how could a constitution be promulgated under such absurd circumstances, especially when the CPA has been violated on several ocassions? & it even gets more weird with the maoists demands, one of them being the ousting of the present PM to extend the tenure of the CA; leading to the question, who is larger? the PM or the Constitution, especially when politics in our country is more murky then changing weather patterns throughout the world & we see PMs changed 2-3 times in a year. And then, what's even conspicous is, why are our comrade friends not wanting to relinquish control of these two militant groups?? Perhaps, at the end of the day, Nepal would be better of with the communist party of Nepal becoming a pure 'CIVILIAN PARTY' & then demonstrate their political skills & clout; but blocking the extension of the CA & removing the current PM is definitely not going to be the end of the road to enigmatic problems the country is facing today. Hence, lets hope for the best & expect the worst, i reckon we'll never be disappointed.

Posted on: 28 MAY 2010 | 5:33 PM NST

4. yam gurung

The new constituion must end the cast system in Nepal.Because this is causeing very unhealthy environment and friction amongst the Gurung community and others.And to stop ethnic violence in future.This is spreading like a dangerious virus in home and abroad.

New constiution must be written for the vested interest of the people of Nepal.So that we Nepali people can live in peace and harmony in future.Without hatered and violence.

In birthplace where ambassador of peace Budhha was born in Nepal.

Posted on: 28 MAY 2010 | 7:55 PM NST

5. Luba Svrcna
Restored Swayambu looks majestic and lovely, the police using it as a training ground is not. Since when does Nepal have a shortage of hills ???? I am sure they can find another place for their training.

Posted on: 03 JUNE 2010 | 10:29 AM NST