Democracy For Nepal: Congress Not Yet For A Republic

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Congress Not Yet For A Republic

The Nepali Congress is a democratic party. And so it may decide not to go for a republic, but it will have to explain why. I hope the two factions reunite. But after they do, they are going to have to face this question. Are they or are they not for a republic?

Reunification Formula

Girija tried the amnesty formula last year, and it did not work, predictably so. You start by accepting the fact that there are two separate political parties. And then you give a formula. It could be 50-50, or 60-40. Or it could be one formula for the central committee, and one for each of the district committees. I think it will be simpler to have one formula nationwide. I would go for 60-40.

Form a reunification committee under the chairmanship of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. 11 members, 6 from the Koirala Congress, 4 from the Deuba Congress, and Bhattarai chairing it.

A new central committee would be formed, and a new district committee in each of the 75 districts. 60 percent would be from the Koirala Congress, 40 percent from the Deuba Congress. That would also percolate down to the town and village committees.

The name would be Nepali Congress. The flag and election symbol would be what the party originally had. Girija woud still be president. But Deuba would have to be Vice President, and Bimalendra Nidhi General Secretary, or at least one of them. For a party that has its base in the Terai, you need a Madhesi at the top.

Reunification For The Movement

If Nepal were an electoral democracy and not a hijacked one, I would have loved it if the two Congress factions stayed separate. I am a Sadbhavana person. But these times are different. The two Congress factions need to become one for the sake of the democracy movement.

After reunification, the Congress regains its status as the largest party. The bogus claim that it still is larger than the UML despite the vertical split could rest.

And then the Congress could really lead. After all, the Congress is the first political party in Nepal to have demanded a constituent assembly. They asked for it half a century ago.

The Repubic Question

My home is in the democratic camp. And the seven party alliance is the legitimate leader of that camp. And I am not in Nepal. So I defer to the seven party alliance. I might offer my suggestions and rationale, I might agree, disagree, praise, criticize. But at the end of the day it is the seven party alliance leadership that decides. And I come around to the decisions they take. I support in all ways I can.

The country and its political parties deserve that kind of respect. The people deserve that.

This thinking also colors my stands on the republic question.

If the king were to accept a few things, I can still imagine a small role for the monarchy. One, the army has to be detached from the monarchy for good. Two, the 1990 constitution has to go.

At this blog I have even managed to design a monarchy that sticks around, but costs the country nothing without any stoppage to its state allowances. I guess I am just trying to aid the process of thinking through on the burning question of a republic.

On the other hand, if the king is going to keep going down his so-called roadmap, if he is going to keep arresting leaders, if he is going to keep talking nonsense, if he is going to keep trying to split up the seven party alliance instead of inviting it for an unconditional, respectful dialogue, then the democratic camp will have no choice but to go for a republic. And the Nepali Congress will have to become a republican party at that point. Or it would be unfit to lead the movement.

The political reality is if the king keeps acting unreasonable, the country will have to become a republic before it takes itself through a constituent assembly.

His first step towards reason would be to release all political prisoners.

They Will Follow

If The Congress were to go for a republic, the smaller parties like the NMKP and Sadbhavana (Anandi) will follow, I think. But it is unrealistic to expect the smaller parties to take the lead.

In The News

Security man killed, three injured in Nepalgunj clash NepalNews
Maoists seize nine oil tankers in Banke
“We Want To Prevent Nepal From Becoming A Crazy Totalitarian State .”
Alliance unveils fresh protest programmes
NBA asks HM the King to be ready to resolve present crisis
Positive environment for parliamentary polls: Home Minister Thapa

Maoists attack security post in Nepal, one killed Hindu, India
Nepal's opposition alliance to launch fresh round of protests Hindu, India
Nepal's Maoist rebels mock king World Peace Herald, DC
Can US Candor Spur Realignment In Nepal? NewsBlaze, CA

BBC Nepali

प्रकाशमान सिंह, सशांक कोइरालासंग-22.02.06
जेम्स मोरिआर्टीसंगको वार्ता-19.02.06
प्रचण्डको अन्तरर्वार्ताबारे-15.02.06
प्रचण्डको अन्तरर्वार्तामा आधारित-13.02.06
काठमाण्डौं निर्वाचन बहस-12.02.06
माघ ७ को कर्फ्यु-20.01.06
गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालासंग-18.01.06

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25 February