By Our Reporter
The successful revolt of the Assembly members of the Nepali Congress loyal to Dr. Shekhar Koirala in Koshi Province has snatched away the sleep of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist Centre boss and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal for the past few days.
When Kedar Karki of the Nepali Congress proved his majority to form the government against the plan of Deuba and Dahal to make Indra Angbo of the Maoist Centre new chief minister and subsequently became the third CM in 10 months, the base of the coalition shook in Kathmandu.
Shocked by the new development in Koshi, Deuba and Dahal held rounds of meetings with Dr. Koirala to ensure that the current coalition could survive. They even inked an agreement to continue the coalition in Koshi. However, the Chief Minister rejected the agreement and expanded his cabinet by inducting two ministers—one from the CPN-UML and another from the Nepali Congress. When Karki violated the agreement, PM Dahal spat venom against the NC in Dhangadhi on Monday, stating whether the NC was a party or a front.
The incident in Koshi was the outcome of Deuba’s tendency to undermine the strength of Koirala in the party. When Deuba continued suppressing the rival group, Koirala dared to challenge him. Now with the Koshi incident, it has become uncertain whether the present coalition could last long, and Madhav Kumar Nepal and Deuba will get a chance to become PM as agreed earlier.
Deuba held a meeting with party office bearers on Monday to discuss the Koshi incident, and it was reported that both General Secretaries—Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma—blamed Deuba for the Koshi revolt.
After one and a half years since the party’s 14th general convention, a visible rift was noticed in the Nepali Congress during the formation of the government in Koshi Province.
After the NC party establishment showed him no respect for its rival faction, Dr. Shekhar Koirala joined hands with the CPN-UML in the formation of the government in Koshi Province giving a new twist to the politics.
When Kedar Karki, a Provincial Assembly member close to Koirala, claimed the post of the Chief Minister against the official candidate Indra Angbo on behalf of the ruling coalition parties, it came as a big shock not only to Deuba but also to Prime Minister Dahal and other leaders of the ruling parties.
Koirala, who was rival to NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba in the 14th general convention held in December 202, took the bold step after he realised he was being sidelined in the party by the establishment even though he had garnered 40 per cent vote in the convention.
Now Kedar Karki has appointed Ram Bahadur Rana from the UML and Shumsher Rai of NC as ministers.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Prachanda said in Chitwan that Karki would be the CM of the ruling coalition. But Karki outright rejected it by inducting a minister from the CPN-UML on Sunday.
The induction of the UML minister has sent shockwaves to the coalition leaders.
After his marathon meetings in Kathmandu, Chief Minister Karki on Sunday appointed the two ministers. There is no appointment from other central coalition parties. He had held meetings with NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML chair KP Sharma Oli and Dr. Koirala.
There was a practice in the party that defeated leaders got the position of senior leader title, but Koirala was denied that.
In Koshi, the party leadership focused on one man for the Chief Minister and Koirala faction had been sidelined. Dr. Koirala was stressing for NC leadership in Koshi but the party leadership did not listen to him and the NC offered the chief minister post to CPN-Maoist Centre without consulting Koirala. Finally, Koirala foiled the attempt of Deuba not only in Koshi but also sent a message that similar situations might arise in other provinces.
After the appointment of Karki as Chief Minister, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, NC president Deuba and Dr. Koirala had on Saturday inked an agreement to keep intact the ruling coalition and support Karki for the post.
But the agreement did not last even for 24 hours. It was breached after Karki appointed a UML Provincial Assembly member as Minister.
Karki showed his majority in the assembly on Wednesday, and now it is still uncertain how he would expand the cabinet. He is likely to form the NC and UML government for the time being against the expectations of the ruling parties in Kathmandu.
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