What Is Gachhedar Thinking?

The guy managed to engineer a vertical split in the MJF flouting all norms of parliamentary democracy. Madhav Nepal could not even have appointed people from his own party into the government before his party decided, but he went ahead and appointed Gachhedar against Gachhedar's party's official stand which at that point was to take part in the government in a way that both Yadav and Gachhedar get powerful ministries.

At best he now has about 25 MPs. And he is asking for five ministries including Home. A

Image by paramendra via Flickr

unified MJF could have got five ministries, Home included. But by now Gachhedar has become a joke. Girija Koirala and Madhav Nepal used him and discarded him.

The party is still not officially split. There still is time. He and Upendra Yadav should meet in person and sort out their differences. But since all the plum portfolios have already been taken by the NC and the UML, the MJF has only one option left: stay outside the government, support it from the outside. Gachhedar now gets to resign because he can't be the only MJF person in the government.

Now is an opportunity to engage in party building activities. If the UML-NC government does not deliver, in a few months it might be time for a Maoist-MJF government with support from many small parties. At that point the MJF can get DPM and Foreign Affairs for Yadav and Home for Gachhedar. Right now is not a good time for the MJF to get into government.

Image by paramendra via Flickr

This is what is going to happen. The NC and the UML are going to drag their feet on two mega issues:

• Security Sector Reform.
• Federalism.

Then the Maoists and the MJF are not going to have any option left except pull them out of power. A Maoist-MJF-TMDP-SP government is going to become possible.

• Maoists 229
  
• MJF 54
  
• TMDP 21
  
• SP 9
• Total 313
  

Gachhedar overplayed his hand. Now he needs to wake up to the reality and start making sense.

Perhaps the TMDP and the SP should also support this government from the outside. It is only a matter of a few short months. They have not been consulted on portfolio division either.

Bhai Phoote Ganwar Loote.

• The Implications Of A Split In The MJF
• Koirala Has To Be Beat At His Own Game
• The MJF Must Stay Intact

• Image by paramendra via Flickr

  Putting The MJF Fire Out
• MJF: Is Reconciliation Possible?
• The MJF Drama
• MJF Will Emerge Stronger
  I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
  Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government
  The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament
  MJF: No Harm Done
  Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government
  Contents 2009
  Contents 2008
  Contents 2007
  Contents 2006 (2)
  Contents 2006
  Contents 2005
  MJF: Upendra Yadav Is The Leader

Upendra Yadav's Leadership Style: Much Is Lacking

Upendra Yadav must work on his leadership style. He does not consult enough. He should, as the leader of the party, be constantly consulting with all of his MPs and all members of his central committee on all issues big and small. That is on top of holding regular meetings of the parliamentary party and the central committee, and their various committees. And he should stay in daily touch with the top five or 10 leaders in the party. When in person is not possible, he should do it by phone. If he cultivates this style, it will be rare when the party president's viewpoint is different from majority opinion inside the party. He should also consult with the district leaders of his party on a monthly basis. He should invite them over to Kathmandu regularly. He should go visit them in their district offices.

In The News

UML, NC finally settle row over portfolios NepalNews agreement was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and NC president Girija Prasad Koirala Saturday afternoon. ....... UML will get finance, home, defence and communication portfolios while Nepali Congress will hold foreign affairs, water resources, labour, health, law and local development ministries. ...... the two parties are yet to convince other allies on the portfolio distribution.
Gachchhadar predicts trouble for govt Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, has hinted that his party might walk out of the government if it does not get the Home Ministry. ....... "If UML and Nepali Congress want us to continue in the cabinet they must be ready to give us respectable position," Gachchhadar said ....... Gachchhadar took UML and NC to task for not consulting with his party on portfolio division ....... "We will have to think whether to stay in the government if UML and NC want the Madhesi parties to settle for the ministries left by them," he said. ...... We will help the government even if we have to stay outside ....... Gachhadar also insisted that the action taken against him and other central leaders by the MJF establishment was not a legitimate one. He said MJF's

Image by paramendra via Flickr

Parliamentary Party rebelled against chairman Upendra Yadav's autocratic style of running the party.
US sets 'conditions' for removing Maoists from terror watch list if they renounce violence, stop the violent activities of its sister organisation, the Young Communist League (YCL) and actively participate and work together with other parties to support the peace process.
Oli confers with Koirala, RJP chairman before heading off to India Oli, who is one of the main architects of the new coalition, is known to have stressed that army chief Rookmangud Katawal should be allowed to serve full term.
Khanal hopes for a compete cabinet by Sunday the current coalition government will get final shape within the next two days. ..... the party has already forwarded na

Image via Wikipedia

mes from UML to be inducted as ministers in the new cabinet. ..... agreed on sharing six ministries each. ..... Khanal reiterated his party’s claim for Defense, Finance, Home and Information Ministries. ...... he asked members of the Youth Force to retaliate attacks of Young Communist League (YCL)
Gachchhadar demands Home ministry Republica
NC, UML Reach Accord On Portfolio Sharing
UML to keep finance, defense, home, communications: Khanal
Army chief will complete his term: Oli to Koirala
Give full shape to cabinet soon: MPRF to PM
At the Forum Prashant Jha, Nepali Times The Forum saga has all the elements of a Bollywood potboiler: betrayal, anger, violence, money and revenge. ....... For all his self-righteousness and sudden discovery that this is an "anti federalism" alliance, Upendra Yadav has shown remarkable inconsistency. ...... He first sat out the entire army chief controversy by junketing around the globe. Returning a day after Prachanda's resignation, he immediately started aiming to become PM with Maoist support. When the numbers did not add up, he shifted allegiance to the UML-led coalition and signed the common minimum program. And though his heart was not in the arrangement, he wanted to lead the MJF in this set-up. When that did not happen, Yadav sacked Bijay Gachhedar & Co. ........ Gachhedar's aim throughout seemed to be to divide and weaken the party. He unilaterally decided to back the UML-NC combine and bargained a plum portfolio for himself. ....... He threw money around to get MPs on his side. And then using old friends like Khum Bahadur, Gachhedar got the NC patriarch to put pressure on the PM to swear him in without an official party decision. ......... The Forum was never a proper party. Just look at Bijay's far right antecedents and desire to turn the clock back to the 1990s, Upendra's radical left background and commitment to federalism and the inscrutable JP Gupta's shift from social democracy to ethnic separatism inspired by a jail stint and study of Sri Lankan Tamils. On the ground, activists who build the organisation for the Madhesi movement had to co-exist with late entrants who had opposed Madhesi issues through this period. ......... The party had its use when a broader Madhesi identity was sharpest before elections and Yadavs, Tharus and Muslims needed each other. ......... In the last year after his electoral success, Yadav had become intolerably arrogant and felt invincible. He had little time for his MPs and rarely visited the Madhes. Gachhedar, on the other hand, closely wooed parliamentary party members. ......... The NC wants to weaken the Madhesi groups to recover its Tarai base. ....... GPK's personal grudge against Upendra for defeating his daughter in Sunsari and opposing his dream of presidency last year. India was also irritated with Yadav for his intransigence on multiple issues and felt that he needed a lesson. ......... With Gachhedar, NC, UML, India and the army ganged up against him ........ There are now three key actors (Prachanda, Jhalanath Khanal, and Upendra Yadav) who want to see an end to this government. .......... In case a political vacuum does develop, the Maoists or a new force is more likely to benefit from it than traditional parties. ...... When Upendra Yadav was asked last year why he was getting people like Bijay Gachhedar into the MJF even though they had no commitment to Madhes, he replied, " "I need their experience of power politics." Looks like the experience has boomeranged.

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• Unification Of Madhesi Parties (demrepubnepal.blogspot.com)
• Madhesi Movement: Next Phase (demrepubnepal.blogspot.com)
• What Shape Federalism? (demrepubnepal.blogspot.com)

The Implications Of A Split In The MJF

Looks like the MJF has formally split. Gachhedar has gone ahead and registered a new party by the name of MJF-Nepal. I guess he has named the party after the guy who made him Deputy Prime Minister.

What are the implications of this split? What are some of the possibilities?

(1) The Madhav Nepal government lasts six months, and then either there is a new Maoist-led coalition, or a new all party, national consensus government.

(2) One of the two factions withers away. The healthy faction doubles in size.

(3) The momentum and leadership of the Madhesi Movement shifts to TMDP. The Sadbhavana has more room to grow.

(4) The Nepali Congress sees a revival in the Terai.

(5) The new space from the split is taken up by the Maoists who return with a bigger share of paraliamentary seats after the election next year.

(6) The two MJF factions become one again a few weeks later after Yadav and Gachhedar think with cooler heads.

(7) The Madhesi issues are well taken care of, since there is no going back on the political consciousness of the Madhesi people. But there remain many small Madhesi parties.

(8) The Nepali Congress shrinks even further after the election next year.

Right now there is no telling what the implications will be.

If I had to take a guess, I'd say Prachanda will be back in power in about six months or less, and the TMDP will see some major growth. (I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months) But don't count Upendra Yadav out just yet.

I am not worried about the Madhesi agenda. The people have woken up. Any party that wishes to expand in the Terai will have to carry the Madhesi agenda.

Koirala Has To Be Beat At His Own Game

• The MJF Must Stay Intact
• Putting The MJF Fire Out
• MJF: Is Reconciliation Possible?
• The MJF Drama

MJF Will Emerge Stronger
I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government
The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament
MJF: No Harm Done
Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government
Contents 2009
Contents 2008
Contents 2007
Contents 2006 (2)
Contents 2006
Contents 2005
MJF: Upendra Yadav Is The Leader

In The News

Trouble deepens in MJF Kantipur Online The meeting endorsed nine proposals including Gachhadar's expulsion as Parliamentary Party (PP) leader. ..... The CC decided to initiate disciplinary action against central leaders Rabindra Thakur, Nasir Siddhiki, Asha Chaturvedi and Sanjay Sah for conspiring to break the party. ....... nominated Krishnadev Yadav, Arjun Thapa, B.P. Yadav, Umeshlal Das and Jagadish Bahadur Singh as CC members. ........ in Kathmandu, the Gachhadar-led faction formed a five-member task force to negotiate with CPN-UML and Nepali Congress on portfolio division. ...... A three-member team was named to take ahead the process of consultation with other Madhesi parties. The meeting also asked all former MJF members who had broken away from the party to return.
Gachhadhar claims being official MJF leader E Kantipur
MPs dispute over Hindi language Republica lawmakers belonging to Madhes-based parties argued that Hindi should be named as official language in the new constitution while the parliamentarians from other political parties strongly protested the proposal........ Muga Lal Yadav of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) and Gauri Mahato Koiri of Sadbhavana Party (SP), among others, had proposed to name Hindi as one of the official languages of Nepal in the constitution, arguing that people living in the Tarai do not understand Nepali language properly. ......... sharply divided over whether to include the term ´people´s war´ in the new constitution ....... Of the total 32 CA members present at the committee meeting, 19 voted in favor of using the term ´armed conflict´
Gachchhadar claims majority in CC, stakes claim for being official Republica CC members and ex-governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Tilak Rawal who was in neutral category on Monday said he was with the deputy prime minister.
MJF banda paralyses life in Tarai Kantipur Online
MPRF leaders from hilly districts press for unity Republica The party´s presidents from some hilly districts joined the campaign led by Rawal. ....... The party´s presidents from Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Mugu and Achham districts signed the statement.
Building a coalition of hope E Kantipur The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum did not have any semblance of adopting party procedures in the way it selected its representatives to the coalition. The name notwithstanding, this coalition is anything but democratic. But the problem is not in the name alone. The current coalition was cobbled together for the expedient purpose of ousting the Maoists rather than for any concrete positive programme. The Maoists' apparent "state capture" was a lame ruse in the whole game. The fact is that the Kathmandu-style politics reminiscent of the coalition era in the 1990s has made an unapologetic comeback. Added to this is the visibly vested interest of top army generals, the Indian and other foreign establishments and the Kathmandu elite in perpetuating the existing state and social structure. Time will show the true picture, but the ongoing wrangling inside all the coalition parties over "plum" portfolios is a clear indication that the parties are hell-bent on perpetuating the politics of loot.
Fight on for party's control in MPRF Republica
MJF for ousting expelled-leaders from CA, govt Kantipur Online
Gachhadar mantra to keep MJF intact E Kantipur Gachhadar said joining the government under his leadership is the only option left for party Chairman Upendra Yadav to rule out a split in the party.

Gachhadar registers new party Himalayan Times
Upendra Yadav is a 'traitor':Beg ... She said the expulsion of seven senior leaders of the party including Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and Sharad Singh Bhandari was motivated by his own vested interests, adding that the split of the party has shattered the dreams of entire Madhesi martyrs. ...... She also revealed that Yadav had been making frequent telephone calls to lure her to his faction, adding that Yadav was crooked and corrupt person. ...... The MJF Parsa chairman Birendra Yadav and district working committee members were present on the occasion.
MJF factions exchange blows Yadav’s faction claimed that of the 35 central working committee members, 29 attended Wednesday's meeting. The meeting went on till late Wednesday evening. ..... Gachhadar wants six berths for his party.
MJF CC meeting in Birgunj Talking to journalists before the meeting, chairman Yadav accused Girija Prasad Koirala, chairman of Nepali Congress (NC) and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of splitting his party and being agents of India. The party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar and his supporters registered a new party Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal in the Election Commission on Tuesday. Hence the fourth big party in the Constitution Assembly (CA) was officially divided on Tuesday.
End of Madhesi Forum: Koirala, Nepal are Indian agents, Yadav Telegraphnepal.com The Birgunj meeting began right at 12:00 noon where some 29 CC members were present out of the total 35 CC members. ..... in Kathmandu, the meeting organized by the Gachedhar Faction declared that with the Yadav faction sacking some ten central committee members the party stands formally divided now.

Yadav blames Koirala, Nepal for split Hindu

Nepal: Victim of wrangling in Madhesi Forum Telegraphnepal.com The Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum President Mr. Upendra Yadav, who was all set to lead the MJF delegation in the UML led government, got stunned when the party’s leader of the CA delegation Mr. Bijaya Kumar Gacchedhar unilaterally took the decision that he will lead the MJF and was thus later sworn-in as the deputy prime minister of the country on June 4, 2009....Mr. Yadav categorically blamed the Nepali Congress, UML and Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party for creating fissures in the Madhesi Forum camp.

Nepal's Terai-based party moves towards formal split Zee News
Maoists, key Madhesi group enforce shutdown in 30 districts Press Trust of India

Nepal's Maoists 'threaten' to take up arms again Times of India
Sujata elevated as Nepal's Foreign Minister, party feud continues Telegraphnepal.com Keeping the intense inner party feud in the Nepali Congress, the United Marxist Leninists and the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum intact ..The MJF has forwarded claims for Five Ministers and four State ministers ..... Upendra Yadav, the MJF party president called it a conspiracy hatched by the UML, NC and Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party to bring about a split in the Madhesi Forum. .... Decision in favor of Sujata was made at a time when Sushil Koirala and Ram Chandra Poudel were out of the valley. .... Dr. Rizal is a US Green card holder. ..... Except Sujata- a defeated CA election candidate, majority of the ministers representing the NC are considered as close to the Sher Bahadur Deuba faction ....The UML which is engulfed in inner party feud between the party president Jhala Nath Khanal Faction and senior leader K.P. Oli faction could not sort out the list of leaders to represent the party in the government.

Nepali cabinet expanded with 8 more ministers sworn in People's Daily Online The cabinet expansion has seen dissent among almost all the constituent parties.

Gachchhadar reassures MJF support to govt Nepalnews.com

The MJF Must Stay Intact

Image via Wikipedia

The most important thing for now is to make sure the MJF does not split. If joining the Madhav Nepal government keeps the MJF intact, the party should join the government. If staying outside the government keeps the MJF intact, the party should stay outside the government. If keeping Bijay Gachhedar Deputy Prime Minister keeps the MJF intact, Gachhedar should stay on as Deputy Prime Minister. If making Upendra Yadav Deputy Prime Minister keeps the MJF intact, Yadav should be made Deputy Prime Minister.

The MJF was a party born out of identity politics. That identity politics has gone one step further. The Yadavs, Tharus, and the Muslims are three equally numerous, proud groups in the Terai. The Yadavs have to remember that. If the MJF central committee has too many Yadavs, the parliamentary party has a better balance of Yadavs and non-Yadavs.

Image by paramendra via Flickr

It is a good thing if the party has several strong personalities at the central level. Upendra Yadav is a Yadav. Gachhedar is a Tharu. Gupta is a non-Yadav. Karima Begam is a Muslim. Sharad Singh Bhandari is a Pahadi origin Teraiwasi whose family has lived in the Terai a few generations. Those are all important constituent groups in the Terai. It is important to strike the right power balances and keep the party intact.

• Upendra Yadav and Bijay Gachhedar, meet in person, one on one.
  
• Jay Prakash Gupta, Sharad Singh Bhandari, make that happen. (Bhandari won by a margin of a hundred votes last year. If the party splits, he is not coming back to the parliament, that part is guaranteed.)
• Seek a compromise formula.
  
• Let Bijay Gachhedar keep the DPM chair for six months, and Upendra Yadav for the other six months. This government is going to last but a year max.
  
• Seek a powerful ministry for Upendra Yadav.
  
• Bargain for the maximum number of berths for the MJF in the cabinet.
  
• Bring back all the expelled leaders.
  
• Keep the party intact.
  

Putting The MJF Fire Out
MJF: Is

Image by paramendra via Flickr

Reconciliation Possible?
The MJF Drama
MJF Will Emerge Stronger
I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government
The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament

Image by paramendra via Flickr

MJF: No Harm Done
Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government
Contents 2009
Contents 2008
Contents 2007
Contents 2006 (2)

Image by paramendra via Flickr

Contents 2006
Contents 2005
MJF: Upendra Yadav Is The Leader

Upendra Yadav Is Going To Lead The MJF In The New Government

Image via Wikipedia

The UML central committee decided on Madhav Nepal as their prime ministerial candidate. It is the NC central committee that discussed and decided that they do want to participate in the new government. The TMDP and the SP have held central committee meetings.

Similarly it is for the MJF central committee to decide if it wants to participate in the new government and under whose leadership. The two decisions are a foregone conclusion.

1. The MJF will participate in the new government.
   
2. Upendra Yadav will lead the MJF in the new government just like he did in the previous government lead by Prachanda. It is because Upendra Yadav was unanimously elected party president at the party's last convention.

It is not for Madhav Nepal to decide who will lead the MJF in the new government. It is not for the UML, the NC, the TMDP, or the SP to decide who will lead the MJF in the new government. If they try - they will fail, but if they try - this government will not last past six months. That would be unfortunate, because I hope this is the government that conducts the elections due next year.

The fact that Upendra Yadav exhibited a soft corner for the Maoists during the recent political turmoil is a good thing. That bodes well for the peace process. You can't work on the new constitution without the Maoists collaborating.

Bijay Gachhedar is going to agree to the two decisions of the MJF central committee to (1) join the new government, and (2) do so under Upendra Yadav's leadership, or he should be subjected to disciplinary action. He need not go into the new cabinet. Find someone from the western Terai to take his place.

A split in the MJF is not in the best interests of the TMDP and the SP. A weak MJF is not in the interests of the TMDP and the SP. The TMDP and the SP should not join the UML and the NC's attempts to split the MJF. What are they thinking?

Let Gachhedar write his note of dissent. Let Yadav lead the MJF in the new government. The MJF is nowhere close to splitting.

In The News

Upendra Yadav raps four-party decision on MPRF representation Republica Upendra Yadav today condemned the four major political parties´ decision to accept the decision of the party´s parliamentary board to join the new government. ....... "We condemn the four parties´ decision, which is intended to divide our party and continue to rule on Madhesi people," Yadav told reporters while coming out in the middle of a central committee meeting. He warned that the party will be compelled to rethink its earlier decision to support the government led by senior UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. ....... According to Yadav, the ongoing central committee meeting was yet to decide on who should lead the party´s team in the government. He warned other political parties not to interfere in MPRF´s internal matters. .... "If the Central Committee takes a decision contradicting with the Parliamentary Party´s decision, it will be objectionable and unfortunate," said Gachchhadar. ..... He said he would write a note of dissent on the decision if it goes against what the parliamentary party has decided earlier.

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The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament

• MJF Is For Republic, Land Reform, Dalit, Muslim, Janajati, Mahila Rights, And Small Or No Army
• No To Terrorism: Terai Army Is A Criminal Outfit
• 3 Layers, 15 States, No Army, 100,000 Bureaucrats Total, Much FDI
• The Army Is Going To Stay Out Of This
• Deciding Now On Monarchy And Army
• Gurung Not Katawal For Army Chief
• Interim Monarchy, Interim Army, Interim Parliament
• Interim Army: You Can Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time
• International Sanctions On Nepal Army Have To Continue
• Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army
• Monarchy, Army, Federalism
• Shobhakar Budhathoki: Transitioning The “Royal” Nepal Army
• Army Under Parliament, Now
• The Police, The Army Need To Stop Following Illegitimate Orders
• The Army Rank And File Need To Be For The People And Democracy
• The King, The Army, The Ceasefire

That was always the best way to do it. That was always the best idea. Now I am glad the Maoists are trying to get the duly elected parliament to talk about the army.

The president's decision to not recognize an out of process decision by Prachanda to sack Katuwal is under review by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's decision will be final. The parliament may not undo that, except if two thirds of the parliament decides to impeach the president which I don't see happening.

So the Maoists are going to have to make peace with the idea that they do not have the option to undo the president's decision through the parliament.

What the Maoists should instead do is introduce a Security Sector Reform bill. The parliament would hold broad discussions on the topic.

1. Should or should not Nepal have an army at all?
2. If yes, how big should that army be? 20,000? 30,000? I'd go for 20,000.
3. What should be the ethnic and gender composition of that army? 40% female? Proportionate ethnic composition?
   
4. How much should the future Nepal Army draw from the existing Nepal Army and the Maoist Army? 20,000 NA? 3,000 PLA? 7,000 from elsewhere?
5. What to do with the other 80,000 NA soldiers and 17,000 PLA soldiers? Retrain them for private sector jobs? Send them off on scholarships to college? Give them loans to start businesses? Give them preference for foreign employment opportunities? Train them to be teachers and health care workers?
   
6. Democratize the Nepal Army, bring it completely under the parliament.

A bill passed by a parliamentary majority to address all these issues would be the best, perhaps the only way to integrate the two armies.

In The News

Nation heading towards political confrontation? Republica the Maoists will stick strongly to their commitment to the peace process and will support the formulation of a new constitution
Accused in Maina's killing pensioned off
Maoists to obstruct House if resolution motion not discussed
End bitterness among the parties immediately: Speaker to PM
Govt asked to revoke decision on CoAS, withdraw motion against Prez
Maoists announce 'barren' land capture drive
PM urges Maoists to join govt
PM's consensus call a joke: Maoist
EU envoys urge PM to release PLA minors
Nepal's address on Tuesday
Big four to invite Gachchhadar into govt
Madhesi parties demand equal status in cabinet with NC, UML categorize the ministries in three groups and share them among the NC, UML and Madhesi parties.
Madhesi parties claim 9 ministries
MPRF opts at last to join UML-led govt
MPRF leaders pressured not to split "All the 10 to 12 members speaking at the meeting have stressed the need for strong unity in the party," said party spokesperson Jitendra Dev. ...... "We joined this party with a view to making the party a national party while focusing on Madhes issues," said Dr Rawal. "So the party must maintain its unity." ...... Most of the members spoke in similar vein and cautioned the leaders not to split the party ..... The members, however, were still divided on whether the party should join the government. They suggested the party leadership join the government after taking a formal decision.
UML wants to keep Home, Finance “It would be unacceptable for us if members of the party are sent into government without the approval of the CWC.” ...... Another general secretary of the party, Bimalendra Nidhi, argued in the CWC that it was the duty of the party to join the government.
CMP, power sharing delays cabinet expansion The MPRF still looks deeply divided on who should lead the party in the government. Sensing the division in the leading Madhesi party Koirala told Gachchhadar that he would hold separate discussion with MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav. ..... some dissenting voice within the NC regarding who should represent the party in the government.

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Prachanda's Offer To Yadav, Then To Koirala

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MJF: That Other Winner Of The April 2008 Election

I don't blame him, he is being shrewd. He made the offer first to Upendra Yadav, today he has gone on to make the same offer to Koirala. Become PM, we Maoists will support you. He was feeling like all the non-Maoist forces were ganging up on him. This is his attempt to get out of that ditch. He has a sharp strategic mind, sure does.

Koirala asks Dahal to cooperate in govt formation efforts NepalNews Dahal, who is vehemently opposed to UML leadership for the next government, suggested Koirala to take initiatives for a national government. "He [Koirala] played important role in signing the 12-point agreement. We asked him to take initiative for new consensus in the same spirit," Dahal told reporters after the meeting held at Koirala's Maharajgunj residence. Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, who was present at the meeting, said his party was ready to be part of the new government if it's formed on the basis of national consensus. "But no consensus can evolve by projecting a person or a party [as the leader of new government]," he said, indicating that the Maoist party is not ready to support UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as the Prime Minister.

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MJF stakes claim on govt leadership

An all party government under Prachanda's leadership is not unimaginable, or an all party government under Madhav Nepal's leadership for that matter, or under Upendra Yadav's leadership for that matter, or under Koirala's leadership all over again.

As the leader of the largest party, Prachanda can rightfully claim he deserves it. Formation of a new national consensus government might be less problematic than agreeing on how to govern in the aftermath.

I say form an all party steering committee. For all the major decisions hold full fledged debates and discussions in the parliament. Seek consensus in cabinet decisions.

A national consensus all party government might be the best option. As to who leads is a secondary question.

The Maoists are not too keen on another communist. The TMDP and the SP are not too keen on the Upendra Yadav name. It is the psychology of the powerless.

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MJF: That Other Winner Of The April 2008 Election

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There were two primary victors to the April 2008 election. One, the Maoists. Two, the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum. The Maoists ruled for a year. Now it is the MJF's turn.

MJF stakes claim on govt leadership NepalNews

The TMDP and the SP have to now join the MJF bandwagon.

In the early 1990s, Girija Koirala chose to bring down his own party's clear majority government, and split his Nepali Congress party, and decided to take the country to premature midterm elections and went on to sow the seeds of a civil war rather than step down and let a Madhesi Mahendra Narayan Nidhi become Prime Minister.

Both Prachanda and Girija are Bahun, but I get the impression Prachanda is less prejudiced against Madhesis than Girija. Both Bahun also happen to be Teraiwasi. Girija is from Biratnagar, and Prachanda is from Chitwan.

A MJF-TMDP-SP coalition with outside support from the Maoists: that is all it will take to form a government at this juncture. It is called parliamentary arithmetic.

I also want Katuwal to vacate the scene at the earliest. I also want the eight Brigadier Generals retired as soon as possible. Recruiting 3,000 fresh soldiers into the Nepal Army was the peace time Dhoramba. That was a move designed to scuttle the peace process.

The Nepali Congress and the UML were the two biggest losers of the April 2008 election. It would make no sense for them to come into power at this juncture.

I was hoping the Maoist-UML-MJF-SP government would last its full term. But it did not quite work out that way. But I am still for political stability. I am for a directly elected president. We can't have a new government every year.

And if the Maoists play a constructive role in the constitution writing process, there is no reason why they should not do well for the election scheduled for next year.

They have proven they can be a party in power. Now let them prove for a year they can also be a party in the paliament, but not in power.

The Maoists are more enlightened than the Nepali Congress and the UML on federalism. A MJF-TMDP-SP-Maoist alliance will be most needed when it is time to make the final decisions on federalism. This government formation is dress rehearsal.

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A Minority Government Is Possible

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Prime Minister Upendra Yadav?

The Maoists are on one side, the NC-UML is on the other side, and there is no sign the two forces will meet, whereas the MJF stands in the happy middle. And the country needs a new government fast. And we are scheduled to have elections for a new parliament in a year or so. So whichever government takes shape will but last a year.

How about this? The Maoists invite Upendra Yadav to be Prime Minister, Yadav takes the three Madhesi parties into power with him to form a three party government. The Maoists do not participate, but support the government from outside, kind of like Chandrashekhar and the Congress in India back in the days.

In return Prime Minister Upendra Yadav sacks Katuwal. A unanimous cabinet decision to that effect gets taken and sent to the president. The president will have the option to return the decision back to the cabinet for reconsideration. The cabinet will send it back to the president. At that point the president will have no option but to send the decision over to the army, and Katuwal would be sacked.

That minority government will have the option to take its decision to sack Katuwal to the parliament where the proposal would pass with Maoist support. That might be the best way to sack Katuwal, through a parliamentary majority.

I do feel there is a need to prove there is civilian supremacy over the military.

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In The News

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Prachanda criticises parties
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Abnormal normality Nepali Times The country seems to run better without a government
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Second chance However much Dahal's party may try to explain away the tape the fact is that he has admitted deceiving the UN and everyone else on guerilla numbers and about his commitment to the democratic process. ....A consensus national government would be the only one that can address those daunting challenges.
Yadav vs Dahal the Nepal Army has two chiefs, the president is behaving like a chief executive ...... The arithmetic of the CA is such that even if a government were to be formed without the Maoists, it would last only as long as Pushpa Kamal Dahal wishes.
No one won The Maoists saw the entire process, and the polls, as a tactical victory on way to total state control. ..... the generals feel they have won a huge victory and will be even less amenable to civilian control. ....... UML and MJF think this is their chance to lead the government. And NC is already thrilled at the windfall from ministries it will get to control. ...... The UML is hoping to get rewarded for foiling Maoist plans on army. The NC is happy to see the left take on the ultra-left. Other key players feel that the Maoists have got a bloody nose and should be kept out in the opposition ...... the Maoists are back in the game to form the government. The resources and patronage dispensation opportunities are just too tempting. They have told Upendra Yadav, finally back from his holiday, that they may possibly back him as PM while retaining control from outside. ........ Lack of progress on integration will split the Maoist leadership and weaken them. ...... PKD should use this moment of enormous popularity within the party to drive home the need for consensus. The other parties would do themselves a great favour by not letting fear and insecurity dictate all their actions.
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‘One Madhes’ key to MJF for new govt run Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) on Saturday decided to lend support to that party which supports its 'One Madhesh, One Province' demand....... the MJF stressed on the national consensus government including the Unified CPN (Maoist). .... The party has also urged the Maoists not to obstruct the Legislature-Parliament.
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