Dahal's Capitulation Is Wrong

UCPN (M) proposes oppn parties to name PM candidate

In the meeting of the major four political forces held on Friday as part of their attempts to seek possible way out of the current political impasse, the Maoist chairaman Pushpa Kamal Dahal proposed to name the PM candidate after the leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML refused former's proposal to convert existing government into national consensus government, according to UML leader Bhim Rawal

This is ridiculous.

Prachanda has to stop pretending that there is going to be a "friendly" election. When the elections are held in April there will be a major ideological tussle between the pro federalism forces and the anti federalism forces. The pro federalism forces have to win a two thirds majority. That is the work cut out before Prachanda as the leader of the Federal Republican Alliance. That alliance has to forge an electoral alliance with the smaller alliance that Upendra Yadav has managed to forge together to bring forth an alliance of alliances. That joint alliance should be able to garner a two thirds majority in the next assembly that is needed to give Nepal genuine federalism.

The NC and the UML are welcome to join the current government. If not, the current government has to move ahead full speed. The Prime Minister has to confront the president and remind him he is not an executive president. The Ram Baran Yadav drama has gone too far. It is not his job to try to bring the political parties together. That is the Prime Minister's job to try.

Consensus is a Panchayati concept. It sickens me to see Prachanda acting like unless the NC and the UML agree nothing can happen in the country. Those are the two parties that need to be soundly defeated at the polls and Prachanda as leader of the Federal Republican Alliance has to start acting like it.

If the NC and UML choose to go for street demonstrations and mass meetings, the ruling coalition has to go for street demonstrations and mass meetings. Violence is not an option, but street action and mass actions are options.

Ram Baran Yadav's activism has to stop. The budget has to be brought through an ordinance. Election related ordinances have to be brought forth. Let the NC and the UML go to the people in April. Those are the two parties that did not let two thirds of the members of the last assembly give Nepal the federal constitution it deserves.

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Baburam Bhattarai Will Conduct Elections

List of Prime Ministers of Nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Step By Step
Ram Baran Yadav Is Not An Executive President

The constituent assembly is not coming back. It is dead. (Is CA Revival Possible?) It is not coming back even if all major political parties come to an agreement to revive it, not that that consensus is happening.

And so all election related ordinances will have to be passed on from the Prime Minister to the president. It would be best if the NC and the UML cooperated. But their demand that the current government resign before anything can be talked about is unreasonable.

A fair consensus government would have to be lead by Baburam Bhattarai since he represents what was the largest party in the last assembly. And so if an election government of non political people is not an option, then the NC and the UML joining the current government is a good option. But I don't see them doing that.

The two are sore losers who did everything unconstitutional and undemocratic to make sure the country was deprived a federal constitution. So if they will not join the current government to form an all party government to take the country to a new election chances are they might not even cooperate on election related laws.

And here the president does not have the option to make moves. Either the political parties come to consensus on the major issues, or the current Prime Minister pass on the necessary ordinances. The president has to sign them. He is not an executive president. It is not for the president to seek consensus among political parties. That is the job of the Prime Minister. And if the Prime Minister fails to get that consensus, well, the country already has a government in place. The business of governance has to go on.

The ruling Federal Democratic Republican Alliance is capable of showing street strength. It could organize street demonstrations. What are the NC and the UML thinking?

Some polarization is necessary. Otherwise why bother having elections? The next election is in essence a referendum on two different, competing visions on what shape Nepal's federalism should take. The NC, the UML and the rightist parties have one way of looking at it. They don't want federalism, but if there is to be federalism, they want it to be fake, cosmetic. The Maoist, Madhesi and the Janajati parties have a different vision. They are for genuine federalism. Nepal is a mosaic of diversity. Only federalism can speak to that ground reality.

The two visions should necessarily compete.

Baburam Bhattarai was right after all. If the president had done his job and not got in the way of the election ordinances the country might have seen elections in November. But April is not too late.

The best course for the country is for the Prime Minister to bring forth election ordinances and for the president to sign them, and make elections happen in April 2013.

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Step By Step

Step 1 is to realize the constituent assembly is not coming back. It is not coming back for further work on the constitution and it is not coming back to amend the interim constitution. All election related amendments will have to be the act of the president.

But the president is not an executive president, and so a government acceptable to all major parties will have to be put into place first. Do it like they did it in Bangladesh. Put together a government of non political people. Maybe this is the chance for the civil society to shine. Step 2, set up a new government of all non political people.

Step 3, let that government pass on election related ordinances to the president who would sign them to make elections possible in April 2013. Chances are the new assembly is smaller in size. Maybe it is 300 and not 600 strong.

Nepali parties inch back to poll option NC president Sushil Koirala and UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal have categorically rejected the CA revival option. A group of former Supreme Court Chief Justices warned the Prime Minister that CA revival to promulgate the statute would be unconstitutional. President Ram Baran Yadav too has spoken in favour of fresh polls.
Nepal’s president pushes for elections revival of the Constituent Assembly (CA) could not happen ‘under any circumstances’..... “The political parties have no alternative but to go for elections as per the spirit of the interim constitution and the verdict of the Supreme Court.”
Ruling UCPN (M), Morcha strike CA elections accord
SLMM to take final call on CA rebirth
CA rebirth not possible, former CJs tell PM
CA revival not possible: Prez Yadav
Dahal floats new proposal before Prez

The Supreme Court will not let the reinstated CA work
With leaders sticking to differing views, no solution in sight
Grab the offer
Dahal now for fresh CA poll cum poll for prez
Madhesi, ethnic leaders urge prez to work for consensus
Plot to bypass UML will not succeed: Nepal

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