Saturday, January 19, 2013

The FDRA's Options



Considering what the NC and the UML are doing, and what the president has been doing, what are the FDRA's options?

(1) The UCPN(M) Should Transform The CPN(M), Not The Other Way Round

Some recent comments by Prachanda can be understood in terms of him competing politically with Baidya who is further to the left than Prachanda. It is understandable that he feels the compulsion. But the solution is not Prachanda becoming more like Baidya. The solution is to attempt political fusion.

Any revival of the YCL will risk a relabeling of the Maoists as terrorists by the US. Getting rid of that label was hard work. The Maoists should not do anything to get that label back. The Maoists going back to their old ways would be the surest way to undo the 2006 revolution.

Instead there should be an agreement on people's revolt - getting people out into the streets - as a legitimate political weapon. More important, the Maoists should take a stand that Nepal has to be turned into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties. That would give Nepal a political system unlike that in India, Britain, America or China. That political fusion is the solution to the Baidya-Baburam tussle. I am surprised Baburam is not waging a more vicious ideological struggle.

(2) Maoist Unification, Madhesi Unification

The two Maoist parties should seek to unite. All Madhesi parties should become one party. That would be best for the cause of federalism. That would also be good for post constitution writing. A two party alliance of the Maoists and the Madhesis would make it possible for Baburam to do in Nepal what Nitish is doing in Bihar.

(3) Home To NC, Finance To UML

The FDRA should make it public that that is as far as it is willing to go to form an all party government. That or the FDRA would launch a mass movement to pressure the president to pass the election related ordinances.

(4) Showing The Ceremonial President His Place

The president can not actively engage in politics. That is what he has been doing. The FDRA could boycott all meetings called by the president until he passes the election related ordinances. And the FDRA should get out into the streets. Mass meetings and mass street demonstrations would be a good idea. I mean, I am sad street action has become necessary. But if that is what the anti-federalists want, that is what they should get. Street demonstrations would be enough. Prachanda does not have to talk about reviving the YCL or the parallel government. For one, such talk will likely break up the FDRA. That is a no no.

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Looks Like The Madhesi Morcha Saved The Day Again

Krishna's Birthday
Krishna's Birthday (Photo credit: izahorsky)
The Madhesi Morcha has come out saying it is opposed to CA revival. The last time the Morcha came out like this was to say Sushil Koirala was unacceptable to them as PM candidate. Both moves have saved the day. For one, this shows the Madhesi Morcha is an integral part of the FDRA that the Maoists can not take for granted. Two, both stands are sound ones.

If the only reason the CA needs to be revived is because Ram Baran Yadav will not pass Baburam's election related ordinances then that CA revival would be a pretty stupid move. The correct move would be for Ram Baran to pass the election related ordinances. And it is still not too late to do so.

Ram Baran Yadav does not seem to understand that he is no longer a Nepali Congress person. Even constitution making only asks for a two thirds majority, not a 100% majority. Consensus is to say you need a 100% majority to do anything. That is a sure formula for political paralysis, as it has been. Paralysis or Mahendra Path, aka dictatorship. In the Panchayat era consensus was easy. Whatever the king said was the consensus position. Now the NC and the UML Bahuns seem to think whatever they say has to be the consensus position.

The interim constitution has said a simple majority is enough to form a government but that two thirds majority is needed to write the constitution. And when one duly elected government no longer has parliamentary support because the parliament has gone missing, then it can only legitimately be replaced by another duly elected government. And until that time the duly elected government stays on in a caretaker capacity. That is the parliamentary democracy way.

It is not Ram Baran Yadav's place to seek consensus. It is not even Prachanda's place to seek consensus. Both of them have gone outside the bounds of the interim constitution to try to seek so-called consensus. Baburam was never under any legal, constitutional obligation to form an all party government for election purposes. But that he made such political attempts is generous of him. Offering the Home Ministry to the Congress and the Finance Ministry to the UML in an all party government is as far as the Baburam government ever needed to go. Anything more than that is willful, unnecessary capitulation. And since the Congress and the UML rebuffed the offer for the world to see that is an added reason why Ram Baran needs to pass the election related ordinances without delay.

Ram Baran Yadav is 100% responsible for the current mess. What he has been doing is against the letter and spirit of the interim constitution and the peace process.

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The Next President, The Next Prime Minister
The President Is 100% Responsible For The Mess
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Consensus Is Not Happening
The Polarization Is A Good Thing
The PM Resigning Would Be Weird
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Ram Baran Yadav: Kasturi Mriga
NC And UML Do Not Have Veto Power
Dahal's Capitulation Is Wrong
Baburam Bhattarai Will Conduct Elections
Ram Baran Yadav Is Not An Executive President
The Nepali Congress Will Get Wiped Out In The Terai

Unity among Madhesi parties a must: Yadav
He said his party was flexible to a large extent, but added they could not forge the unity by taking MJF-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav as chairman because he has been already unsuccessful and his leadership will not be acceptable. .... If unity not forged we can fight election of next CA through a front ..... Political consensus was lacking because of the anti-federalist forces, he said, adding everyone says NC and CPN-UML are anti federalist
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