The next move - Nepali Times

Editorial
The next move

FROM ISSUE #562 (15 JULY 2011 - 21 JULY 2011) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUBSCRIBE NT

REFER

WRITE TO EDITOR

After the Maoists emerged as the largest party in the April 2008 elections, a garlanded and vermilioned Maoist chairman spoke to the media at the BICC. "This is not just a victory for our party," Pushpa Kamal Dahal said, "it is a victory for the Nepali people and it is a victory for peace."

That was when many thought Prachanda had made the final transformation in his metamorphosis to Pushpa Kamal Dahal. It was a magnanimous speech, Mandelaesque in its message and tone. As it turned out, Prime Minister Dahal instead of being a leader of all Nepalis, became just another party apartchik riding the personality cult of Prachanda Path. As time wore on, he turned into a tragic figure who had lost the trust of the other parties, Kathmandu's diplomatic corps (even those who hung to his every word), the governments of our two great neighbours, and also the most trusted allies within his own party.

Prachanda has no one to blame but himself. His chronic contradictions, compulsive lying, his deviousness and too-clever-by-half attitude finally did him in. All the wheeling-dealing, sneaking off to Bangkok and Singapore, exposed his naked ambition to get back to power by hook or by crook, and the nation be damned. He squandered his formidable power of oratory on petty name-calling, and threats. He never realised that after becoming victorious in the ballot he no longer needed to resort to the bullet.
It is still premature to write Pushpa Kamal Dahal's political obituary. In the past 20 years of being the supreme leader of his party, he has used his in-born craftiness to wriggle out of tight spots. He can still play the various factions off against each other, as he did by surprisingly proposing his rival and deputy, Baburam Bhattarai, as prime minister last week.

His other rival, Mohan Baidya is a serial splittist. Back in 1985 he did exactly what he is doing now to Dahal, when he launched a vitriolic attack on Mohan Bikram Singh accusing him of "anarchist individualism and rightist opportunism". But with his college mate Ram Bahadur Thapa and alter ego Narayan Kaji Shrestha both flirting with the opposition this week, Dahal's position as head of party is suddenly much shakier.

All this wouldn't have mattered much if the country wasn't in such a fragile state and the peace process wasn't so precarious. The nasty infighting within the Maoists adds another layer of complications in finding compromises on demobilisation of the cantonments and acceptable clauses in the new constitution. With his mentors at each other's throats Prime Minister Khanal seems to have forgotten all about the five-point agreement that he had promised to step down to make way for a unity government. And with these distractions, it isn't a surprise that the new budget is a wishy-washy, populist one designed to distribute cash to cronies.

the churning within the Maoists also indicates a necessary democratisation of a former underground party that waged war. The three-way rift should be easy to fix because it isn't ideological but a multiple personality clash between comrades and disaffection with Dahal's penchant to go it alone. (Proof of this is the unnatural and opportunistic alliance between Bhattarai and Baidya.)

At press time it looked like Dahal loyalists still commanded a majority in the central committee, but the Chairman should still take this as his cue to divest power. The party could then keep the eye on the ball and get on with proposing a candidate who can lead a national unity government, unblock integration once and for all, and help finalise a framework constitution by August-end.

Read also:
New time frame, ANURAG ACHARYA
The clock is ticking, ANURAG ACHARYA
The Maoists have less than two months to resolve their internal rift and restart the peace process

1. Anil
Proof of this is the unnatural and opportunistic alliance between Bhattarai and Baidya.

The big question here is' What has Bhattarai promised Baidya (that Dahal himself could not) to get his support to be nominated as the party's prime-ministerial candidate?'

Are they really that far apart ideologically?

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 10:46 AM NST

2. Rituraj Sapkota
One must also not forget Dahal's comical interviews in foreign and local media (Remember the time he spoke hindi for an interview on an Indian news channel? and the other time he shook his leg with Rekha thapa) You can't take a person like that seriously. Am I supposed to think of him as my leader?

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 1:56 PM NST

3. jange
The problem is not Prachanda, it is you. Prachanda has always been what he is.

You chose to believe all the things he said despite the evidence to the contrary. You chose to believe the lies that Prachanda spouted despite the evidence. You chose to ignore evidence and propagate his lies.

You chose to push your own political agenda on the back of the Maoist violence. You were happy to support him as long as you thought your agenda was being served. Now that your agenda is not going very far you have turned against him.

It is you who is the opportunist.

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 8:15 PM NST

4. KiranL
The editor is a bit too generous in comparing Prachanda with Mandela, but he is right about how the camrade squandered the mandate of the elections and a chance to show that he could be a statesman and renounce violence. But don't underestimate the comrade, he is going to ruthlessly crush his opponents within the party one of these days.

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 9:20 PM NST

5. Ramesh Thapa Magar
Why single out Prachnda ! He is not the only pathological lair in Nepali politics. THEY are all liars, they cannot live a day of their life without lying...so give PKD a break. Yes, its is YOU who is to blame. What can you expect from people like PKD, BRB, SBD, JNK, MKN, - why are you surprised they are liars, be surprised if they tell truth. Actually, its not only Nepali politicians that lie, Manmohan Singh is a lair, Tony Blair used to lie as PM of UK, Asif Ali lies all the time, you name it, they all lie, its the nature of the beast. So use the ballot box ... not useless editorials which mean nothing to the majority of Nepalis.

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 10:10 PM NST

6. Paul Krugman
@ Shree Jange --

Do you honestly believe that the problem with Nepal has more to do with the editor of this paper than with PKD? ?Are you cracked, man? Wake up and have a cup of coffee ! If you don't like what is written here buy another newspaper. Maybe Dixit screws up a story here and there. PKD has effed up an entire country.

PK

Posted on: 15 JULY 2011 | 4:48 AM NST

7. reb
Frankly, even though ma-o-esta cannot be trusted and all the mayhems they have created, Pranchanda seems to be more able neta than the other spineless and vision-less opportunists in Nepali politics these days. Now, isn't that a catch-22 situation.

Posted on: 16 JULY 2011 | 6:38 AM NST

8. Soni
"All this wouldn't have mattered much if the country wasn't in such a fragile state and the peace process wasn't so precarious."

Do you really think they are fighting and not using this as a ploy and a cover-up for something. If you do think they are fighting, then perhaps you are not looking at the details enough. Just try, just a little harder.

Posted on: 16 JULY 2011 | 12:23 PM NST

9. Arthur
"The party could then keep the eye on the ball and get on with proposing a candidate who can lead a national unity government, unblock integration once and for all, and help finalise a framework constitution by August-end."

It was Congress that refused to join a national unity government in 2008. Three years of obstruction - blocking integration and rejecting a constitution - have not gained them anything. If they now accept the need for a national unity government under Maoist leadership that will be a big step forward.

There is something rather pathetic about anti-Maoists attaching such importance to whether the Maoist led government they are now having to accept is headed by Prachanda or Bhattarai.

Posted on: 17 JULY 2011 | 7:32 PM NST

10. DG
#9 ARTHUR.
No worry mate.
Let C.P. Gajurel head the government. FROM THE MAOIST.
He was a good pastor,so he can me a good projet manager TOO of the country. Also he was the RIVAL contestant of Puspa Kamal and lost. IT HAS BEEN A LONG ININING,20 YEARS BY NOW.

Posted on: 19 JULY 2011 | 9:29 PM NST

11. jange

# 10

I think Arthur should head the government. There is more Maoism in Kamred Arthur than all the Maoist politburo (or whatever committee) combined.

Vive la Arthur!!!

Posted on: 20 JULY 2011 | 7:25 PM NST

12. Slarti
"With his mentors at each other's throats Prime Minister Khanal seems to have forgotten all about the five-point agreement that he had promised to step down to make way for a unity government."

I think everybody underestimates the Prime Minister as just another politician. From what I have read over the past six months he is much shrewder than the Maoist head boy, and is quieter, which makes him even craftier.

All his moves are consistent with a single objective, I would have thought the editors and the journalists would find that interesting.

The fact that he is sticking to his agenda by ignoring his opponents within his party, the troubles with the Maoists, and by cutting Indians down to size. Note the pattern of transfers, in accusations on security leadership, in the manner in which budget details were leaked, and still nobody appears interested.

Posted on: 20 JULY 2011 | 9:39 PM NST

13. concerned citizen
Although I believe #8 Soni may be right, there is nothing better that can happen to Nepal, democracy, and even to true Maoist ideologues like # 9 Arthur than a vertical split (better three way) of the Maoist party. Unfortunately, I think they are all juggling for party's ill-gotten money and influence, and are too coward to stand their ground and kick Prachanda out or split.

Posted on: 21 JULY 2011 | 12:16 AM NST