Political Uncertainty Looms Large in Nepal
Bigyan Sharma
November 16, 2009
Nepal is going through an uncertain political situation. This uncertainty looms large with Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist (CPN-Maoist) announcing third round of protest as the second round of the protest has recently came to an end with gherao of Singh Durbar, the main administrative authority of the nation.
UCPN Maoist being a largest party in Constituent Assembly was leading the government before UML-led government was formed. CPN Maoist pulled out of the government after president Ram Baran Yadav revoked the decision of the then government to dismiss army chief General Rookmangud Katawal. Since then, Maoist has been announcing different kinds of the protest programmes demanding that president should correct his move to maintain civil supremacy over military supremacy while dialogues for consensus are on among the key political parties.
Second and third largest party respectively Nepali Congress and CPN UML have been stating that civil supremacy was no more an issue as president's move was the right one while Maoist has announced that the protest would continue until president's move is corrected. Due to this difference, the rift between Maoist, the main opposition party and ruling coalition has grown wider.
Maoist has announced that third round of the protest programme will be launched from November 22 if its demands were not met. Senior leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said in an interview with a broadsheet Nepali daily that third round of protest will be tougher as the government turned its deaf year to the 'genuine' demands of his party expressed from first and second phases of the protest.
According to him, the third protest programme will include political strike, general strike, and defying of the prohibition among other. He also claimed that the protest would continue until civil supremacy is established.
Meanwhile, various speculations about the formation of new government are on in the political circle. Being the largest party, CPN Maoist is exerting pressure on ruling coalition to pull out of the government so that it can lead the government for one more time. However, UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal said political 'give and take' would decide the future of the incumbent government. "If we can prepare solid ground for a national unity government to find a logical end to the peace process and draft a new statute, other matters can be cleared on the way. But a national unity government depends on political 'give and take'"- he said at a face to face in Kathmandu.
Despite continuous political bargaining, no headway has been made on forging the consensus so far. As the major political parties fail to reach the consensus, country encounters difficulties in meeting the deadline for writing the new constitution which has been the major function of the constituent assembly.
UCPN Maoist being a largest party in Constituent Assembly was leading the government before UML-led government was formed. CPN Maoist pulled out of the government after president Ram Baran Yadav revoked the decision of the then government to dismiss army chief General Rookmangud Katawal. Since then, Maoist has been announcing different kinds of the protest programmes demanding that president should correct his move to maintain civil supremacy over military supremacy while dialogues for consensus are on among the key political parties.
Second and third largest party respectively Nepali Congress and CPN UML have been stating that civil supremacy was no more an issue as president's move was the right one while Maoist has announced that the protest would continue until president's move is corrected. Due to this difference, the rift between Maoist, the main opposition party and ruling coalition has grown wider.
Maoist has announced that third round of the protest programme will be launched from November 22 if its demands were not met. Senior leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai said in an interview with a broadsheet Nepali daily that third round of protest will be tougher as the government turned its deaf year to the 'genuine' demands of his party expressed from first and second phases of the protest.
According to him, the third protest programme will include political strike, general strike, and defying of the prohibition among other. He also claimed that the protest would continue until civil supremacy is established.
Meanwhile, various speculations about the formation of new government are on in the political circle. Being the largest party, CPN Maoist is exerting pressure on ruling coalition to pull out of the government so that it can lead the government for one more time. However, UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal said political 'give and take' would decide the future of the incumbent government. "If we can prepare solid ground for a national unity government to find a logical end to the peace process and draft a new statute, other matters can be cleared on the way. But a national unity government depends on political 'give and take'"- he said at a face to face in Kathmandu.
Despite continuous political bargaining, no headway has been made on forging the consensus so far. As the major political parties fail to reach the consensus, country encounters difficulties in meeting the deadline for writing the new constitution which has been the major function of the constituent assembly.
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