Political Commentary
By P.R. Pradhan
It is speculated that the west has been able to show its visible presence in Nepal by bringing all those groups who were instrumental in introducing the present federalism, secularism, and republicanism to one place by sidelining the two immediate neighbours.
The west, in a dramatic way, has played the game in securing an unexpected victory while bagging a confidence motion by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, president, Nepali Congress, the second-largest party having the strength of just 62 MPs.
It was unexpected and impossible for Deuba to manage 165 votes in the House of Representatives which has a total strength of 275 votes.
Not an odd, the judges in the constitutional bench in the Supreme Court have crossed their limits by dictating the President to dismiss sitting PM K.P. Sharma Oli and to appoint Sher Bahadur Deuba even by giving a deadline.
The court verdict could be natural if it would have asked the House to elect the new PM by the floor.
The court verdict not only recognized the writ petition signed by the MPs from the ruling party but also explained that the MPs are free from denying the party decision, which is not only against the spirit of the constitution but also against the multiparty democracy and which is an amendment of the constitution. The House needs a two-thirds majority to amend the constitution but the five members of the constitutional bench very easily amended the constitution.
On Sunday’s election in the House, 22 MPs from the UML crossed the floor defying the party whip. Other 10 MPs boycotted the voting. This has destroyed the intra-party discipline. Now, the MPs are not under the grip of the party, which is against the constitutional spirit.
However, the court not only appointed Deuba as the PM but also paved the way for bagging votes even from the opposition party. This design was imposed by the West, it is speculated by the political observers.
Also, under the new environment, the controversial MCC grant project is likely to be adopted by the House soon, it is expected.
Although appeared a new face as the guard, there will be no drastic change in governance. In reality, some half a dozen mafias are running the government from behind the curtain. They have good reach with all the leaders in big political parties. Moreover, Deuba may enjoy the remaining one and a half years in the government as no-confidence motion is prohibited for the next two years by the constitution, even though the recent court move has paved the way for political instability permanently proving that the system has been failed.
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