Interview with Jagat Gauchan, newly elected Central Working Committee member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). Excerpts.

How can you be so confident you'll achieve what the elected leaders could not?
No matter what the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML claim, the political changes of 1990 had less to do with them than with King Birendra who instituted the multiparty system following the Shah tradition of respecting the people's desires. The incompetency of our political parties has become obvious in the last 12 years. The likes of Girija Prasad Koirala and Man Mohan Adhikari are labeled leaders. I say they are incapable, inept and inconsistent to be true leaders. If they had any degree of sincerity, the country may have been in a much better situation today. The leaders are responsible for the deterioration of Nepal.

Would you say the Congress and Communist leaders are totally unconcerned about the people's welfare?
That fact seems obvious to me-the Nepali Congress claims to be synonymous with democracy, but cheats the people to garner luxuries for itself. Meanwhile, the UML claims its commitment to the people but have yet to put it into practice. They told lies and now the people have rejected them.

Leaders are not god-sent and they cannot be imported. The people will accept only those who work for them. I have always been proud of my nationality. I could not stay a passive witness to Nepal's deterioration. We have a responsibility to this country to the next generation of Nepalis. My entry into politics was not done out of any personal political ambitions. I just want to devote my life to the service of this country.

How do you propose to deal with the Maoist problem?
Presently there are three powers that exist in Nepal. The first is absolute monarchy, which is respected as the symbol of national unity. The second is the Maoists and lastly, the pro-multiparty powers. The latter has been discarded and criticised by the people. The Maoists are asking for a political system that failed all over the world. They should understand that their demands are impossible. They should change their demands for a constituent assembly and a communist state and instead try and find a solution within the constitution of 1990. Of course, power sharing would be an option for them.What I don't understand is where will he transfer the power-to the chief secretary? Until the next election, executive power will automatically lie with the monarch.