By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
Though the Election Commission has not made the official announcement of the result of the just concluded House of Representatives and seven Provincial Councils, the race for the new Prime Minister has already begun. Within Nepali Congress, Ram Chandra Paudel and Gagan Thapa have already claimed their stakes while the incumbent Prime Minister Sher Deuba has not responded to their intention. On the other hand, the Maoist Chairman is tight-lipped at present but will certainly claim his stake sooner or later.
Long before the election to the House of Representatives and Provincial Councils 2022, there has been widespread discussion among the people about the future Prime Minister of Nepal. Some were pointing out that the new face would take over the charge of the new Prime Minister of the country while others were a little perplexed given the political imbroglio that has infested our society ever since the restoration of democracy.
The result of the election as of now clearly suggests that no single party will win an absolute majority to form the government under a single-party leadership. The coalition government is there unavoidable. The constitution of Nepal 2015 says that the PM should exhibit a vote of confidence when the single party majority government cannot be attained and Prime Minister is elected through clause 2 or 3 of article 76 of the constitution of Nepal.
Moreover, a scrutiny of the result to date indicates there will be a hung parliament in Nepal. The CPN-UML is very unlikely to join the Nepali Congress to form the government under the leadership of Sher Bhadur Deuba.
The restless Deuba will certainly reach out to fringe parties offering plum positions or ministerial birth in exchange for their support in the race for a new PM. We do not need rocket scientists to understand whether they will accept or reject the offer of Deuba.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of Nepali Congress, Gagan Thapa, who has been re-elected from Kathmandu-4 has been expressing his desire to become the Prime Minister of Nepal. He has been mounting pressure on Deuba for leadership transformation within the party. His claim for the top executive post has been a kind of what experts say a headache for Deuba. As per the Nepali Congress charter, only the elected leader of the parliamentary party gets to contest for Prime Minister. If media reports are any guide, Deuba, given his stubborn and arrogant attitude, is very unlikely to pave the avenues for adolescent leaders to go to Baluwatar as their official residence.
So much so, it is reported that Deuba even organized a ritual to gain blessing for the post of Prime Minister. Strangely, ageing Deuba who has already become the prime minister several times is still eyeing the position. It is also very surprising that why Deuba is unwilling to hand over the party leadership to young and emerging leaders. The answer to this question is not very big. It is very simple. His lust for power.
The lust for power is not just limited to Nepali Congress. The CPN-UML is no different either. Former Prime Minister KP Oli would have claimed his stake to become the new prime minister if his party has won the election. Within the party, many leaders criticize him for his autocratic way of running the party leadership. When we talk about the autocratic tendency among our politicians, we cannot afford to ignore Maoist chairman Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda and his behavior. His arrogance and autocratic way of running the party dissented the other leaders creating an environment of distrust. As a result, many senior leaders quit the party. Dr Baburam Bhattarai is just a representative of such an unhappy leader with Prachanda for his way of running the party.
Meanwhile, Ram Chandra Paudel of the Nepali Congress is getting restless to go to Baluwatar. He is also eyeing the coveted post. His desire to become the Prime Minister has been a long-standing dream. After the demise of Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, Poudel has assumed the position of NC’s Acting President. Through the 13th NC general convention, he wants to become the full-fledged chief of the party. But this did not happen. Just to recall, on January 12, 2010, Nepali Congress withdrew the candidature of its parliamentary party leader Poudel for the post of Prime Minister as no candidate was able to muster 301 votes in the constituent assembly of 601 despite 16 rounds of voting. This will be a “do or die” situation for him as well. But Paudel, like Thapa, is likely to be disappointed given the internal politics which is mostly dominated by Deuba.
Across the globe, every nation has its national hero to whom people rally behind to advance a common cause. They spiritually and politically unite people. Their name invokes a sense of pride, patriotism and unity among the people. George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are a few great leaders. They are the father of the respective nation. The people revered their national hero and pay tribute to them
On the contrary, we are blessed with leaders who are corrupt, ruthless, immoral and unaccountable. They do not care how people are struggling to day to day problems. Their only intention is to cling to power — no matter how it comes. Our problems and desire for good governance and effective service delivery will remain a dream as long as leaders rise above the occasion for the broader interest of the nation and its people. In plain words, whether NC, CPN-UML or Maoist come to power, our problems will continue and thrive if these parties do not go for course correction.
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