Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Stays On-Part 37

(Toward Elections to A New CA)
Siddhi B Ranjitkar

Probably after the visit of one of the Indian politicians, Dr Karan Singh to Kathmandu from November 31 to December 1, 2012, the Head of State: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has realized that the only alternative to break the current political deadlock is to shepherd all the political leaders to the elections to a new CA for crafting and promulgating a new constitution and institutionalizing the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML in cooperation with small parties have been blocking the elections to a new CA demanding to form a unity government clearly dragging on the process of institutionalizing the federalism and federal states. The positive stand of the head of state on elections to a new CA has been labeled as the alien mantra by the politician that has been standing as a roadblock to institutionalizing the achievements made by the people’s movement of 2006. However, if the president were for holding elections to a new CA, nobody would be able to stop him

Former minister of India and President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi Dr Karan Singh also the chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) arrived Kathmandu on November 29, 2012 for the two-day visit to participate in the two-day seminar titled 'Malviya's Contribution to Modern Education-Banaras Hindu University and its impact in Nepal’ held in Kathmandu from November 30 to December 1, 2012 on the occasion of Madan Mohan Malviya's 150th birth anniversary, as a keynote speaker. Dr. Singh had also other engagements such as extending an invitation to President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to visit India for receiving the honorary Doctorate in Letters to be conferred by the BHU in the last week of the December 2012, and to unveil the portion of the Lok Kirti Mahabihar renovated by the assistance of India.

Dr Karan Singh opened the portion of the about-700-year-old Lok Kirti Mahabihar done with the Indian assistance at a function held in Patan on December 1, 2012. The Lok Kirti Mahabihar is one of the hundreds of large and small ancient Buddhist monasteries spread all over the Kathmandu Valley. The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction renovated the Lok Kirti Mahabihar as the part of restoration of nine historically and culturally importance heritages in Patan with the fund of Rs. 7.3 million provided by the Indian Government as the part of strengthening the religious and cultural relations between the two countries.

Dr. Karan Singh attended the reception held in his honor by the Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana at the residence of Rana in Maharajgunj on Friday, November 29, 2012 upon arrival in Kathmandu. Top leaders of the political parties attended the reception. The daughter of Mr. Rana is married to the son of Mr. Singh; so, Dr. Singh has a matrimonial relation with Mr. Rana. President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav also held an informal reception in honor of Mr. Singh.

Speaking at the opening function of the Fourth National AIDs Conference in Pokhara on December 1, 2012, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav warned of the country falling in a grave crisis if the proposed election to the Constituent Assembly (CA) was not held in April-May 2013. On November 21, 2012, the coalition government of UCPN-Maoist and UDMF announced the election in the month called Baishak (April-May) subject to setting the date for holding the election in consultation with other political parties. President Dr. Yadav said that six years had passed since the people’s movement of 2006, but the achievements made by the movement have to be institutionalized, yet; the country already missed the first deadline for holding the CA election; if the country were to fail this time, too; it would cost the country dearly; consequently, the political parties have no option to holding the election on schedule. The president further said that the Nepalis could not wait for crafting a new constitution indefinitely; if the current government could not hold the election then the political parties should build a consensus on a new government without delay.

Obviously, the president had felt that the political parties had been ostensibly squabbling for power but actually blocking the process of institutionalizing the achievements made by the people’s movement of 2006 in other words delaying the crafting of a new constitution putting forward one excuse after another and making a roadblock to institutionalizing the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. So, the president has clearly given leaders of the political parties the choice of either to let the current government hold the election to a new CA or to form a unity government immediately so that the election to a new CA could be held on schedule.

First, the opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML had said that after the dissolution of the CA in May 2012, the current government had no legal authority to hold elections to a new CA, and had been demanding the prime minister to quit the office immediately. Then, the opposition coalition anticipated the President Dr Yadav would fire the government and turn over the power to the opposition. When that did not happen, the opposition had been pushing the president hard to form a unity government led by the NC. So, the president in turn had been pushing all the political parties to form a unity government setting one deadline after another. On November 23, 2012, the president gave seven days to form a unity government; the deadline expired on November 29 but the opposition could not even name a candidate for the prime minister of a unity government. The president extended the deadline for forming a unity government until December 6, 2012; again they could not form a unity government even though the NC could name its President Sushil Koirala as a candidate for a unity government. President Yadav extended the deadline for another week.

The ruling coalition of the UCPN-Maoist and the UDMF had been offering the opposition coalition to form a national consensus government headed by the NC after settling all the contentious issues including federalism and federal states since the dissolution of the CA in May 2012. However, the opposition coalition did not want to step back from the position on no to federalism and federal states demanded by the ethnic groups and the ruling coalition. Thus, the opposition coalition has been fighting against the federalism and federal states demanding to form a unity government without building a consensus on all contentious issues. Correctly, the ruling coalition suspected that if the ruling coalition were to quit the government without settling the thorny issues of federalism and federal states then the opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML would monopolized the power and would never hold elections to a new CA, as these opposition guys knew that the federalists would win the elections and then they would craft a new constitution for institutionalizing the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

The front-runner of the anti-federalism has been a man called Chitra Bahadur KC. He has been frantically calling on all the people and political parties not to agree on the federalism thus clearly going against the people’s aspirations for making Nepal a common country of all people living within its physical boundary, but to agree on making Nepal the property of some oligarchy denying the majority of the people to have any say in the governance, thus certainly denying them making decisions on the matters that set their destiny. In the democratic system, any person politically as mad as Mr. KC could say anything he likes but the political parties needed to encompass all the people rather than working for an interest group if they wanted to be real national political parties. Unfortunately, the opposition parties such as the NC and the CPN-UML did not want to recognize such hard facts but simply following the call of politically insane man such as Mr. KC on the political parties not to make Nepal a federal democratic republic.

Probably, in view of the bickering of the political parties over the candidate for a unity government, the President Dr Yadav did not see any possibility of forming a unity government within the extended deadline; so, speaking in the public function held in Pokhara on December 1, 2012, the president call on the political parties to unite behind the current government to hold the elections to a new CA if they could not form a unity government. To this call, Chairman of the CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal called an alien mantra uttered after the visit of a foreign politician hinting at the visit of Indian politician Dr. Karan Singh; and Mr. Khanal said that he would not honor such a call. President of NC Sushil Koirala said that the head of state: President Dr Yadav as a protector of the constitution could not dictate the political parties what to do and what not to do. President of NC Koirala categorically ruled out the possibility of joining in the current government and then hold elections to a new CA. However, the same guys have been putting pressure on the head of state to fire the current government and turn over the power to them.

Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai separately and individually met with the President of NC Sushil Koirala, and told him that they were ready to make any sacrifice to break the current political gridlock and then hold the elections to a new CA provided President of NC Koirala was ready to settle the issues of federalism and federal states. However, Mr. Koirala could not accept such an offer of the Chairman of UCPN-Maoist and the Prime Minister, as the opposition leaders were stubborn, and were not willing to change their position on no to the federalism and the federal states demanded by the ethnic groups.

Probably, the opposition leaders such as President of NC Sushil Koirala and Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal have been emboldened by the CPN-Maoist: the breakaway party of the UCPN-Maoist joining the opposition to topple the current government. Leaders of the CPN-Maoist were not much different from the man called Chitra Bahadur KC in their mental condition. They did not know where they stood politically. After the return from China, Chairman of CPN-Maoist Mohan Vaidhya said that the Chinese had told him that federalism was not good as it might break the country into pieces but later on the Chinese denied saying such things. So, the CPN-Maoist well fitted in the opposition party and joined in it.

Currently, the CPN-Maoist leaders have been desperately seeking the recognition of their party as one of the major political parties. They went to see the President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav pleading him for inviting them, too to the meetings of the political leaders of major parties whenever the president would call such meetings to discuss the matters of the national importance. They went to talk to the president of NC Sushil Koirala to convince him of their commitment to topple the government, and of their stand on other matters of national importance similar to Mr. Koirala’s stand. They claimed that the CPN-Maoist had the strength of 91 members of the dissolved CA. If it were true then they had the strength of the fourth largest party after the CPN-UML but they had claimed for the third largest party.

The funniest thing the leaders of the CPN-Maoist did was putting forward the name of the general secretary of CPN-Maoist Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal as a candidate for a new prime minister at the time when the NC had a difficulty in finding a consensus candidate for a new prime minister; Chairman of the CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal even challenged the president of NC Koirala that if the NC could not select a candidate for a new prime minister immediately his party would do so soon. Thus, the leaders of the CPN-Maoist got lost in the Nepalese political whirlwind while trying to create a political chaos so that they could take the benefits of such a situation clearly joining the opposition coalition to finish off the achievements made by the people’s movement of 2006.

On Wednesday, December 5, 2012, the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NC nominated its president Sushil Koirala to a candidate for the prime minister of a unity government; then Mr. Koirala has the choice of settling the issues concerning a new constitution and firmly engaging in institutionalizing the federalism and federal states, and taking over the office of prime minister, and then holding the elections to a new CA, thus having the possibility for becoming a historical figure otherwise Mr Koirala would go down in the Nepalese history as any corrupt NC leader.

Obviously, Mr. Koirala has ignored the long-standing demand of the ruling coalition for settling the contentious issues of federalism and federal states, and then for promulgating a new constitution so that a NC-led government could hold elections to a new parliament. Mr. Koirala and his coalition partners stuck their position on no to the federalism with federal states, and the ruling coalition stuck to their stand on federalism and federal states. Thus, they could not build a consensus; and Mr Koirala did not get the endorsement from the ruling coalition for his candidacy even after the expiry of the second deadline of December 6, 2012 set by the President Yadav for forming a consensus government.

Speaking at the function held to mark Nepal New year 1133 at Itumbahal, Kathmandu on Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist Prachanda said that Nepalis time and again failed to institutionalize the achievements made by the different people’s movement because of compromising with the very forces they fought against. He said that Nepalis lost the achievement of the people’s movement of 1950 because the then leaders compromised with the autocratic Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher JBR, and made him the first prime minister of the interim government of the post Rana regime; the same mistake was made after the movement of 1990 compromising with the then king even though the fight was against the king; so, this time, Nepalis are not going to commit the same mistake giving the power to the opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML without settling the issues of federalism and federal states, as the Maoists had fought against the monarchy and the then parliamentary parties: NC and CPN-UML; the Maoists had reached the 12-point understanding with the then seven political parties in November 2005, and the comprehensive peace agreement with the government in 2006 ending the people’s war; these agreements are clearly for ending all sorts of discrimination done against the people based on their ethnicity, caste, gender and even on the region; however, the NC leaders have been working against these deals.

This is not a new political development. The CA got dissolved because the political leaders could not agree on the contentious issues of federalism and federal states. Since then, the opposition coalition has been demanding the ruling coalition to turn over the administration to the opposition coalition that has several times threatened to take the issue to the streets if the prime minister did not quit the office. So, the current political logjam is over the federalism and federal states rather than over the office of prime minister. If the opposition coalition agrees on the federalism and federal states, they could break the current political gridlock with the snap of fingers.

If the opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML and probably the CPN-Maoist joining in it were to topple the current government, and grab the power through a putsch or the street protests then the country might be in the political chaos for some time. However, the ruling coalition of the UCPN-Maoist and the UDMF have enter into an alliance with other political parties that are for federalism and federal states, and set up a Federal democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) to counter the challenge posed by the opposition coalition of the NC and the CPN-UML including the CPN-Maoist. FDRA could squarely face the challenge of the opposition coalition in the elections, in the street protests and even in the most unlikely case but the possibility of a putsch.

If the FDRA and the opposition coalition were to hit each other head-on collision, the people’s movement would once again surface and take the final shape of the movement. We have seen the first people’s movement in 1950 finished off the autocratic prime ministerial rule, then in 1990 ended the despotic no-party system called Panchayat, and in 2006 tore down the Shah dynastic rule, and declared Nepal a federal democratic republic. This time the anti-federalists would see their end, and the federalists would lead the country to a new system of governance that would involve everybody in running the state affairs.

Speaking at the function held to open the Fourth National AIDs Conference in Pokhara on December 1, 2012, President Ram Baran Yadav warned that the country would land in a grave crisis should the proposed election of the Constituent Assembly failed to hold in April/May. President Yadav said, “Six years have passed since the successful people’s movement of 2005/6, our gains are yet to be institutionalized. We have already missed a deadline to hold the Constituent Assembly election and if we fail again, it will only cost dear to the country.” The President went on to say, “As our failure to hold the CA election soon will endanger our gains so far achieved, there is no option now for the political parties except to move ahead hand in hand.” “People want to see the statute drafted through the CA. The parties, therefore, should understand the people’s mood and immediately forge consensus to form a next government if the present government cannot hold the election,” he said, expressing hope that the parties will reach a consensus in the extended seven-day time. On his recent meeting with the top political leaders he said, “I have pleaded all political leaders to forge consensus without further delay. This time I am confident that they will be able to strike a deal among them and extricate the country from the long-standing crisis.” (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 1, 2012)

On December 1, 2012, the umbrella organization of indigenous nationalities of the country — Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) said that the indigenous nationalities would not accept any decision of the four largest parties. “A way-out of the deadlock is not possible only through the decision of the four parties. That is regressive thinking. So we won’t accept any such decision,” said Raj Kumar Lekhi, NEFIN chairman at a press conference held by Association of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (ANIJ). Lekhi said NEFIN was forced to make public its memorandum meant for the President through a press conference because the President had refused to meet them since the last one week. Lekhi said the President should work on an agreement acceptable to all parties, most importantly the indigenous nationalities who had reached agreements with previous governments. He added any agreement must be based on agreements reached with indigenous nationalities. He said it was unfortunate to hear statements against federalism from the head of state. Former NEFIN chairman Pasang Sherpa said the President should be sensitive toward the spirit of the movements of indigenous nationalities and issues such as federalism, identity and right to self-determination. (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 1, 2012)

Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) on Saturday, December 1, 2012 announced a month-long protest campaign from Sunday. At a press conference, NEFIN Chairman Raj Kumar Lekhi said sit-in protest and other programs would be held at 71 district administration offices for one month after turning over a memorandum to them. Lekhi said they were forced to protest because the 2011 census has not only reduced the number of indigenous nationalities compared to the 2001 census, but also eliminated the existence of 10 indigenous nationalities from the 59 enlisted in the government’s official record. He also accused the government of ignoring NEFIN’s suggestions regarding the census. Lekhi said NEFIN would not accept any plan and program formulated as per this ‘unscientific’ census. (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 1, 2012)

The Nepal's ruling Maoist party on Sunday, December 2, 2012 called on the opposition parties to join in the incumbent Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to make it a national consensus government; the NC and CPN-UML immediately rejected it. "The most constitutional and practical way forward is for the NC and CPN-UML to join in the government led by the Prime Minister Bhattarai and go for fresh election for Constituent Assembly in May to draft the constitution," Agni Sapkota, spokesperson for UCPN-Maoist said after a high level meeting in Kathmandu.  Meanwhile, the main opposition NC party also today held separate meetings with CPN-UML: the third largest party in the dissolved Constituent Assembly and CPN-Maoist: the breakaway faction of the UCPN-Maoist in an attempt to mobilize support for toppling the government led by the UCPN-Maoist. During the talks, the top leaders of NC, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist said that the resignation of Bhattarai was the first condition for reaching an agreement with the ruling alliance, according to NC sources. The opposition parties said that they would not sit for talks to seek other alternative unless the prime minister stepped down. The meeting attended by NC President Sushil Koirala and Vice Chairman of CPN-Maoist CP Gajurel and senior CPN-Maoist leader Dev Gurung at the Koirala's residence in Maharajgunj also agreed to launch street protests against the government, sources close to Koirala said. "There is no alternative to the ouster of the current government to resolve the ongoing political stalemate," CPN-Maoist leader Gurung told reporters. "We have decided to launch protests if the door to dialogue and legal ways are shut," he said. "We have agreed on the need to unite opposition forces to unseat the current government," he said. (Source: PTI/Zeenews.indi.com, December 2, 2012)

While the CPN-Maoist announced the name of its general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, as the party’s candidate for a prime minister even earlier than the UCPN-Maoist and NC, a query has arisen whether this is serious or just political posturing. The CPN-Maoist knows well that there is slim chance to getting the support of international forces that play a decisive role in Nepali politics and there also seems to be slim chance of support from the major parties including UCPN-Maoist. Amid such adverse circumstances, the CPN-Maoist had formally announced Thapa as their candidate for new prime minister on Oct. 30, claming to be the third alternative political force in the country. The CPN-Maoist has some reasons for announcing Thapa as its PM candidate. The main reason is to counter the propaganda of UCPN-Maoist leaders that the newly formed CPN-Maoist has no capacity to run a party. Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda has been saying that the breakaway Maoists are going to launch another people’s war, as they only know how to fight. CPN-Maoist leaders said that Prachanda and other UCPN-Maoist leaders had been speaking continuously against anyone joining the new party, saying it was going to merge before the general convention. "One of the reasons for Thapa’s candidacy is to dispel rumors spread by Prachanda and others," said a CPN-Maoist central committee member. General Secretary Thapa’s candidacy is not new. When the UCPN-Maoist was not split, yet, General Secretary Thapa was proposed as a new prime minister during the factional fighting in the party to avoid the formation of the Dhobighat alliance. Prachanda faction leaders Gopal Kirati and Onsari Gharti Magar had led a signature campaign for Thapa. "The political parties would not take us seriously, saying we always talk only of war, if we did not claim the post of PM," said another CPN-Maoist central level leader. According to CPN-Maoist leaders, by claming government leadership they would no longer be compelled to remain just the tail of another party. The CPN-Maoist leaders claimed that the solution to the crisis could be found if they pushed forward the party’s agenda as this party had a clear vision. "This is an opportunity to establish our agenda and solve the constitutional and political crisis," said another party leader. The CPN-Maoist also accused the UCPN-Maoist, NC and CPN-UML of being a cause of the current political and constitutional crisis. The CPN-Maoist says they have failed to find a solution. "While we have a clear agenda for a solution and we also had 91 lawmakers in the dissolved Constituent Assembly, the other parties [UCPN-Maoist, NC and UML] have failed although they had more lawmakers than us," said Pampha Bhusal, party spokeswoman. According to party leaders, after the failure of the major parties, only the CPN-Maoist could give an outlet to the country. Likewise, they stated that Thapa belongs to an ethnic community; there was a possibility of consensus as he is a patriotic person, he has been fighting for the cause of the people, and his leadership would guarantee peace and a new statute in the country. Thapa was defense minister in the government led by UCPN-Maoist Chairman Prachanda. (Source: myrepublica.com, December 2, 2012)

Visiting Indian leader Karan Singh returned home on Sunday after completing his three-day visit to Nepal. During his visit, leader Singh held talks with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and top leaders of different political parties though he termed the visit as social and cultural one. During the talks, Singh and Nepali leaders discussed bilateral issues and current political transition. Singh also attended a seminar 'Nepal-India Relations' organized by Nepal-India Friendship Foundation and a banquet hosted by Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana. (Source: RSS/thehimalayantimes.com, December 2, 2012)

The NC President Sushil Koirala has said that the president in his capacity as the preserver of the constitution has no right to give advices to the political parties. "The president cannot dictate the parties what should be done as he is the preserver of the constitution," said Koirala speaking at a program held at the Reporters Club in Kathmandu. "He should be playing the role of a protector." President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, at a program held in Pokhara on Saturday, December 1, 2012 had said it would be much better if the opposition parties joined the current government to give it the shape of a national consensus. The NC president has claimed that there is no possibility of consensus on the issue of government leadership under any other parties. "There is a history of free and fair elections under the NC leadership. On the other hand, both the UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UML have already taken the reins of the government twice," said Koirala. He informed that visiting Indian leader Karan Singh said the issue of government formation in Nepal is to be decided by the political parties and suggested the parties to go for election through consensus. (Source: ekantipur.com, December 3, 2012)

Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal was the first Nepali leader who declared that “if the arrival of a foreign leader catapults the ‘decision’ taken by the entire opposition then no one should expect something substantial from those chameleon leaders”. Khanal definitely was referring to the visit of Indian emissary Dr. Karan Singh-Sonia’s assistant, who in a subtle manner had hinted some leaders now in opposition demanding PM Bhattarai’s ouster not to pounce on the JNU Graduate. Khanal also ridiculed the Nepali leaders if they changed their present stances and begin talking different and said that “nothing more could be expected from such leaders”. Khanal expressed his anger while talking to a small group of Nepali media men in Dallu, December 2, 2012. He said, “The present government is the biggest impediment to forging consensus and that as long as BRB doesn’t quit from the current post, consensus would remain a distant affair”. As if this were not enough, Khanal in a rough and tough posture declared, “If he doesn’t quit voluntarily then the country is sure to go in for a violent conflict”. “I say again and I hereby repeat it again that unless BRB quits, agreement among the parties was not probable. One can’t even imagine that a consensus government could be formed under PM Bhattarai’s command”, this is how Khanal stated. Now the question is for how long the Nepali parties now in opposition resist the pressure exerted by the defunct Indian emissary who just winded up his Nepal visit- the rationale and the intention of which is still shrouded in a mystery. (Source: telegraphnepal.com, December 3, 2012)

Following the intense pressure from the ruling Maoist party and some members from the opposition, the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NC unanimously decided on the party President Sushil Koirala for a new prime minister on December 5, 2012 afternoon. After the top three leaders such as Sushil Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel and Sher Bahadur Deuba agreed on the party president’s name for a new prime minister in the morning, NC called an emergency meeting of the CWC to approve the decision. “During the meeting, Deuba proposed Koirala’s name, I seconded the proposal and the CWC endorsed it unanimously,” said Poudel. Speaking at the meeting, Koirala expressed his commitment to settle all the national issues and do everything possible to help Congress emerge as the winner in the election, sources said. (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 5, 2012)

At the meeting of four major political forces such as UCPN-Maoist, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF held at the Lazimpat residence of the Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda on December 5, 2012, Federal Democratic Republic Alliance (FDRA) said that an agreement should be reached on all the issues of a new constitution in a package before the FDRA could endorse the candidate of Sushil Koirala for the prime minister of a unity government. Leaders of the NC and the CPN-UML outright rejected the FDRA’s proposal, stating forget about the past agreements on the issues concerning a new constitution as the unity government is for holding fresh elections to a new CA for crafting a constitution. “The ruling parties have given us ample opportunity to cast doubt on their intention,” said NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel. “If we are going for fresh election, how can we agree now on the contents of the constitution that we are yet to write? Why did they refuse to promulgate the new constitution by incorporating the issues that were agreed upon? Can they agree on the 11-pradesh model, which was agreed upon earlier? If yes, why not to promulgate the constitution now?” Earlier, a meeting of FDRA decided that there should be a package deal on setting the date for fresh election around mid-April, reducing the number of seats on CA, formation of an election government based on a consensus and filling vacant positions at the constitutional bodies. “The deal we are seeking for is aimed at setting up a basis under which the government leadership can be handed over,” said spokesman for the UCPN-Maoist Agni Sapkota. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com December 5, 2012)

Speaking at the tea reception hosted by the UCPN-Maoist wing Newa Front to mark the Nepal New Year 1133 at Itumbahal, Kathmandu on Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda reviewed the Nepal’s major political movements of 1950, 1990. He said that there was more compromise than necessary with forces that were the main enemies. He also voiced fear about danger to federalism and the republic, pointing out how parties had failed in the past. "Various forces have been attacking the current changes in Nepal. Is this not the result of compromising with those forces that we had fought and that were our enemy?" Chairman Prachanda asked. "We lost the achievements of the 1950 movement. It was a result of selecting Mohan Shumsher JB Rana as a Prime Minister although we had fought against the Rana regime. The same thing was repeated in 1990 when we compromised with the king to end only the Panchayat regime though the movement was centered against the monarchy." Chairman Prachanda also turned on NC President Sushil Koirala, saying Koirala had forgotten the spirit of the 12-point deal and also the comprehensive peace accord. According to Prachanda, the main spirit of those accords was to end all discrimination based on caste, region and gender. "In the absence of Girija Babu [Girija Prasad Koirala], the current thrust of the NC is against that spirit although now also a Koirala [Sushil] heads the party. Has the NC leadership rejected that deal?" he asked, "We signed the comprehensive peace accord to end discrimination. Is the same force that fought for that now turned against it?" (Myrepublica.com, December 5, 2012)

Speaking at the function of opening the Synergy Finance in Kathmandu on December 6, 2012, Chairman of the CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal has accused the UCPN-Maoist of botching up the atmosphere for a national consensus by bringing back the issues of disputed contents of the constitution. Mr. Khanal said that the current Bhattarai-led government was an epitome of authoritarianism; the current government could not take the shape of a consensus government. (Source: RSS/thehimalayantimes.com, December 6, 2012)

Speaking at the Reporters' Club in Kathmandu on December 6, 2012, Minister for Land Reform and Management Top Bahadur Rayamajhi challenged the opposition to show a cogent reason to replace the current government with a new one, and said that it was quite ridiculous to demand the Prime Minister's resignation at a time where there was no Legislature-parliament; therefore, the opposition parties needed to produce a convincing reason why the Prime Minister should quit the office. On the same platform, spokesperson for NC Dilendra Prasad Badu said that the only solution to the current political dead-end was the formation of a consensus government and his party proposed party President Sushil Koirala for a new prime minister after all parties requested for. CPN-UML leader Pradip Gyawali said that the political crisis was prolonging because of the ruling parties' tactic to remain in power. However, Vice-Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Loktrantrik) Rameshwor Ray Yadav accused the NC, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist of prolonging the crisis. (Source: RSS/thehimalayantimes.com, December 6, 2012)

A meeting of Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA): a coalition of ruling UCPN-Maoist and UDMF held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on December 6, 2012   decided to stand firm on a package deal. “The meet decided to stick firmly in seeking a consensus on contentious issues of a new constitution along with a unity government through a package deal, and not to walk out until parties strike a deal,” said spokesperson for FRDA Prem Bahadur Singh after the meeting. (Source: THT ONLINE, December 6, 2012)

On Friday, December 7, 2012, Minister for Health Rajendra Mahato also the chairperson of Sadbhawana Party: one of the members of the UDMF announced that the UDMF would not accept anyone that has rejected the four-point agreement reached between the UDMF and the UCPN-Maoist for forming the current government, as a new prime minister. So, the UDMF would not accept President of NC Sushil Koirala as the new prime minister unless the essence of four-point deal was recognized. “There will be no support to the ones who want to split Madhesh into five parts. Four-point (agreement) is our notion. We will support the ones who buy it,” he said, speaking at an interaction program in the Reporters Club at Putalisadak, Kathmandu. Minister Mahato maintained that the Madhesh should not be divided into more than two states. “We are looking for an agreement to build the constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, not just to make an individual the prime minister,” he stated. Minister Mahato said that a package deal should include setting the date of Constituent Assembly polls, number of representatives on the Constituent Assembly, legal provision for the polls, recording the past agreements made in the dissolved CA, filling up the constitutional vacant positions, and the formation of an election government. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com, December 7, 2012)

Speaking at the opening function of the Far-west Festival in Dhanagadhi on December 7, 2012, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that an election to the Constituent Assembly could be held in April/May by forging a package deal among the political parties, and stressed the need for the CA election at the earliest and urged the political parties to work on holding the election breaking the current protracted constitutional deadlock. Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai also hoped that a deal among the parties would reach within this week concerning the formation of a national consensus government. The prime minister also dwelled on the economic agenda, and expressed his commitment to the economic prosperity of the region in particular and the country in general. Fourteen opposition parties of the Kailali district had boycotted the opening ceremony of the festival. Police have beefed up the security for the prime minister following the rumors that the opposition party cadres were to greet the prime minister with black flags during his visit to Dhanagadhi to inaugurate the festival and stay overnight at a freed kamaiya house. According to the Kailali SP Ghanashyam Aryal, over 900 police personnel, 600 Armed Police Force, and 200 Nepal Army personnel have been deployed for the security of the prime minister. (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 7, 2012)

Talking to a group of journalists at the ministers’ quarters in Lalitpur on December 8, 2012, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha said it would be impossible to hold fresh Constituent Assembly election in mid-May unless the parties struck a deal on all political and constitutional issues by December 15. DPM Shrestha added that he was not very optimistic about parties reaching a deal on all issues by that time. He cast doubt over opposition parties’, particularly the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, commitment to federalism, republic, secularism and inclusiveness. He said they had proposed nothing new in the latest rounds of talks with NC and CPN-UML about giving a political outlet to the current deadlock. “We have proposed that all the parties express full commitment to federalism, republic, secularism and inclusiveness: the four issues on which all major parties have agreed upon, and we said that these be made the basis to go for fresh elections,” said the foreign minister. He said the NC and CPN-UML, however, did not agree to the UCPN-Maoist proposal, refusing to take ownership of what was achieved by the dissolved CA in the past four years. “If they (NC and CPN-UML) do not accept the ownership of what had been done by the dissolved CA, it will take another four years to draft a new constitution if we have to start from scratch,” Shrestha said. Besides taking ownership of the agreements made in the dissolved CA, the UCPN-Maoist has also proposed to amend the Interim Constitution and election laws and reach an agreement on the strength of a new CA, appointment to the Supreme Court and constitutional bodies, and leadership and structure of the consensus government. He added that a new CA would work as a constitution-drafting body for the first one year and it would later function as Parliament. (Source: HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE, December 7, 2012)

On Saturday, December 8, 2012, the FDRA decided to expand the Cabinet if the parties were to fail to forge a consensus by December 12: the deadline the president extended for the formation of a national unity government. The ruling coalition of UCPN-Maoist and UDMF held a meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar this evening and further decided to exhibit maximum flexibility to meet the President’s deadline. “The meeting decided to exhibit utmost flexibility to forge consensus among the political parties on contentious issues of new constitution along with the formation of a national unity government, and to expand the Cabinet to hold fresh polls if parties failed to do so,” said Prem Bahadur Singh, the spokesperson for the FDRA. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com, December 8, 2012)

Speaking at the press conference held by the Banke Chapter of the Revolutionary Journalists' Association in Nepalgunj, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has said that the political parties have no option but to hold election within May next year, and warned, "If election is not held by May, chances of losing republic can grow alarmingly." The government was effortful to clear constitutional and legal hurdles to elections, he claimed, adding that the ball is in the parties' court for national consensus. The government is not obstructing what the parties decide, he argued. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said technical issues of the election should be addressed before the third week of this month to hold election in May if election is not possible, all parties should decide for a political outlet. (Source: RSS/thehimalayantimes.com, December 8, 2012)

Speaking at the opening function of the 12th Annual General Meeting of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Kathmandu district branch in Kathmandu on December 8, 2012, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda said that the partners of the 12-point understanding should work together following the understanding they had reached to break the current political deadlock or take a different path. The then seven parties and the then CPN-Maoist had reached a 12-understanding on November 22, 2005 to set up a republic. The seven parties were the NC, CPN-UML and other small left parties except the parties of former Panchas.

December 8, 2012