By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
In the past few decades, Nepalese politics has become a subject of ridicule in the international arena. And perhaps, we do not need a rocket scientist to understand why we have become a laughing stock when it comes to politics. Even a layman can understand that this is mainly owing to power-hungry mongers. Politicians change their position frequently if it meets their personal interests. Power sharing has been the major contention among our politicians — no matter which party they belong to. The recent political development where Oli withdrew its support to the Dahal-led government and joined hands with Deuba is yet another example illustrating the self-centred character of our politicians.
Dahal became the PM for the third time with the support of the Nepali Congress and other parties. Nearly fifteen months later, a feud started to appear between Deuba and Dahal. Consequently, Dahal ended the alliance with the Nepali Congress and reshuffled the cabinet. He formed a new partnership with the UML though this was not the first time the two communists had come together.
Soon after the alliance of the two communists, there was an odd situation as people were mindful of the fact that two swords could not fit into one sheath. The result: KP Oil withdrew its support to the Dahal-led government making it a minority. After failing into the minority, PM Dahal announced that he would face a vote of confidence in the parliament. However, it was certain that his government would collapse as it lacked the requisite majority. Following the collapse of the Dahal-led government, the Nepali Congress and UML formed another alliance government led by KP Oli. While inking a seven-point agreement, both leaders said that their collation would ensure political stability, something which has become a major headache for Nepalese within and outside the country.
The moot question is will the NC-UML alliance ensure political stability? Likewise, can we pin hope on them anticipating they will not indulge in leg-pulling over power-sharing? These are the major concerns hovering around the minds of Nepalese across the globe.
While allying, both parties have agreed, among others, to amend some provisions in the constitution. The amendment of some provisions has always been a bone of contention among the parties. The differences among parties over constitutional amendment have resulted in political bickering laying the ground for political instability in the past. We hope that both parties in due course of time do not change their position to this end ensuring their longevity.
Deuba and Oli are known for changing their position and tend to swing as per the context. Not too long ago, Oli lambasted the ruling alliance of the Maoist Center and Nepali Congress for its silence on the boundary issue and accused Deuba of surrendering to India. In Nepali politics, the blame game is nothing new as bedfellows turn foes and vice versa. Similarly, Deuba had come down heavily on Oli for his decision to impose a lockdown to contain the spread of COVID Virus in 2020. He was a very vocal critic of Oli’s move and termed it irrelevant and illogical. We firmly believe that both will not recall their past bitter relationship with each other and lay the foundation for yet another political setback.
But many political pundits still raise a question about what led Oli to dumb Dahal! It is generally believed that the agreement for a new coalition between NC and UML at midnight last Monday was largely motivated by the apprehensions over the government’s impending action against innumerable high-profile individuals accused of engaging in different scandals and frauds. Their relationship turned from bad to worst when Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane announced his intention to initiate action against 25 corruption cases including the fake Bhutanese refugee and Giri Bandhu Tea Estate scam which irritated Oli, Deuba and other senior leaders of both parties.
It is also believed that Dahal was playing the Belt and Road Initiative card pitting one neighboring country against the other. As a result, his government fell into the minority forcing him to step down as the Prime Minister.
There are also growing voices that the new parties and independents were viewed as a great enemy by the old parties. Stung by their growing popularity, it is said that the NC and UML came together to get rid of them.
Whatever the NC-UML intention, people do not (and cannot afford) want to see yet another political bickering over power sharing and other issues. They are fed up with frequent changes of guard in one pretext or the other. In the past sixteen years, we have seen thirteen different governments led by leftists and centrist. But it is strange that some even could not last nine months let alone their full term.
In our over three decades of experience with democratic exercise, the politicians have only looted the country in the veil of politics. Their only intention is to remain in power — no matter how it comes. We hope that this newly formed alliance will not breach the trust of the people with their confrontation over power-sharing
Finally, we hope that the new alliance will silence its critics who claim that this alliance will also collapse very soon and prove them wrong.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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