Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Stays On-Part XXIV

Siddhi B Ranjitkar

Judging from the current political gimmick, one could easily say that Nepalese politicians are power junkies but they don’t know the real power source rather they have the illusion about it. Consequently, they run after someone for power. They try to polarize into the like-minded politicians loosely in the hope of collectively acquiring power. They also believe that they need to build a consensus on settling all the contentious political issues in the current political situation but they don’t compromise their respective stand on the federalism and identity-based federal provinces. Thus, they set the Nepalese politics in uncertain motion.

Even now after three people’s movements that have finished off the despotic Rana rule, then Panchayat and ultimately the despotic monarchy in Nepal, Nepalese politicians have had difficulty in understanding the power source. People are the ultimate power source that is what the Nepalese politicians have not understood, yet.

For example, the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML believe that the Head of State is the source of power. Ignoring the constitution, and the rule of law, they believe that the Head of State could fire the prime minister and then appoint someone from among them to the office of prime minister. So, leaders of the coalition of NC and CPN-UML have been consistently pushing President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to fire Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and appoint one of them to the office of prime minister.

If we take a look at the history of the democratic innovation in Nepal, we find that the NC had lead the Nepalese people to democracy from the beginning but the leaders of NC have failed in believing the people are the source of power. In the mid of the last century, the NC led the people’s movement against the then despotic Rana prime minister that had taken the power from the king. At that time NC leaders had not only kept the king and did not take over the power but also made the king as the source of power, and returned the power to the king that had lost to the Rana for more than a century. In addition, the NC made its statute with the provision for a ceremonial king; thus, NC leaders had foreseen the perpetual monarchy in the country.

What the king did after getting back the power was to kick out at the NC leaders and run the country absolutely in 1960s. The king sent most of the top NC leaders to jail, killed some of the leaders in the skirmishes, lured some of them to his side, and banned all political parties and other organizations associated to the political parties. Thus, the monarch saved by the NC leaders turned into a dictatorial ruler.

It took thirty years for the political leaders to go back to the people, and lead another movement against the despotic king in 1990. By that time, the king had been infamous for corruption and misrule, as the king used most of the national resources for his family pleasure. People did not get even the resources foreign donor agencies had intended for them. So, Nepalese people in general wanted to remove him forever. In 1990, the NC and CPN-UML jointly launched another people’s movement for ending the absolute rule of the king and for reinstating the multi-party democratic system of governance. Nepalis had overwhelmingly supported the political parties and forced the king to relinquish power in favor of the political leaders. Once the NC and CPN-UML captured the power they simply forgot the people: the real source of power. They believed that their power base was their political cadres, and certainly the king.

So, they once again ignored the people, and they did very little for the people but they did everything to enrich themselves and their cadres. Again, the Nepalese people lost everything intended for them to the politicians. In the nineties of the last century, the political leaders often went to the king and them asked him to fire the prime minister whenever the parliament was dissolved, as they have been doing today to the Head of State. They did not want to force the king to hold an election to a parliament rather they wanted power in the first decade of the current century. The result was the birth of a new king that had the taste for absolute power. These political guys formed a seven-party alliance (SPA) to fight against the absolute ruler. At the same time, the Maoists had been gaining strength in the conflict with the state. They had been capturing one village after another with the support of the grassroots level people. The SPA could not do much because the Nepalese people did not want to support them, as these political guys had been not much different from the absolute ruler for not taking care of the people’s businesses.

The SPA ultimately realized that the Maoists had the support of the people at the grassroots level, and in cooperation with them, the SPA could take back the power from the absolute ruler. Once again they were not interested in removing the monarchy but they were interested only in power but the Maoists forced them to sign in the 12-point understanding that had clearly stated that they would opt for a republic not the monarchical state. The people’s power was so mighty that the despotic king bowed down to the people’s demand for reinstating the dissolved parliament after 19 days of the joint movement of the Maoists. Then, the Maoists came back to the mainstream of the Nepalese politics. However, the then NC leaders were not serious about removing the monarchy but the Maoists encouraged by the people’s support for them in the election to a CA-cum-legislature forced the SPA leaders to declare Nepal a republic. Another Nepalese Madheshi people’s movement forced the NC-led government to make Nepal a federal democratic republic. Thus, Nepalis had ultimately made Nepal a federal democratic republic.

Once the Nepalese politicians were firmly established in power they again forgot the people in 2008. At that time, the people’s mandate was given for the coalition of the Maoists and the Madheshi to institutionalize the federal democratic republic of Nepal with the identity-based federal provinces. However, neither the Maoists nor the Madheshis realized it at that time. The Maoists stood alone even though the Madheshis offered them to form a coalition to share the offices of the Head of State, and the Deputy Head of State: office of Head of State for the Maoists, and office of Deputy Head of State for the Madheshis. Consequently, the Madheshi Front formed a coalition with the NC and CPN-UML for electing the Head of State from among the NC lawmakers, Deputy Head of State from among the Madheshi lawmakers, and the Speaker of the legislature from among the CPN-UML lawmakers. The coalition of the Madheshis with the NC and CPN-UML only remained for the election to three major offices, as the Madheshis were for the federal democratic republic but the NC and CPN-UML had been against it.

Only after the failure of one government after another headed by the CPN-UML leaders with the support of the NC and the Madheshis in doing anything to institutionalize the federal democratic republic, the truth of the Nepalese folks wanted the coalition of the Maoists and the Madheshis to institutionalize the federal democratic republic had been dawn on the Maoists. Even belatedly, the Maoists and the Madheshis came closer to each other and ultimately formed a coalition. The bond that kept the Maoists and the Madheshis together was their common stand on institutionalizing the federal democratic republic. So, this bond was not only strong because the Maoists and the Madheshis together had more than a simple majority in the dissolved parliament but also they had a common goal of making Nepal a federal democratic republic.

The coalition of NC and CPN-UML could not break this bond of common understanding of the Maoists and the Madheshis. NC and CPN-UML leaders could not dare to submit a no-confidence motion against the coalition government of the UCPN-Maoist and the UDMF when the parliament was still alive. After the dissolution of the CA-cum-parliament, the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML pushed the Head of State to fire the government and transfer the power to them but the Head of State correctly stood against the pressure of the NC and CPN-UML. Then, they tried to launch street protests to topple the government but soon they found out that the Nepalese folks were not for such protests, and the people chased the cadres unleashed by the NC and CPN-UML out of the streets. Then, these NC and CPN-UML guys realized that they did not have the people’s support for them; so, they did not want to go to the polls for electing another CA. That was why these NC and CPN-UML guys had been labeling the election to a new CA was unconstitutional. They want to avoid going to the people for seeking the mandate. One of the main reasons for the current political deadlock is the coalition of NC and CPN-UML reluctant to go to the people for seeking their mandate.

The Head of State has not been for taking any steps that violate the constitution. Thus, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has been honoring the people’s mandate by not over stepping the constitution. Most probably, he also knows that violating the constitution means going against the people’s sovereignty, and the people will not forgive him for that matter. Up until now, the Head of State has been following the constitution and honoring the people’s sovereignty. That has strengthened the rule of law to some extent. In addition, the Head of State has been pushing the leaders of all major political parties particularly the four major political parties such as the UCPN-Maoist, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF to build a political consensus on all contested issues, and pave the way for promulgating a new constitution. That is the only correct path left to all politicians of any color to save the country from any political turbulence that might cause untold sufferings to the common folks.

The good news is that again the political leaders have been active to talk to each other whether they are for reviving the dissolved CA for a short period just to promulgate a new constitution or to go to polls for electing a new CA. Either way might resolve the current political deadlock but revival of the dissolved CA might be the shortcut to promulgating a new CA. Election to a new CA might cause uncertain future to some political parties particularly the NC and CPN-UML. So, the leaders of NC and CPN-UML are nervous about the election to a new CA. They will surely try to avoid such an election. As such the political leaders have only one option that is to revive the dissolved CA but the coalition of UCPN-Maoist and UDMF want to make sure that before doing so, the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML has agreed on the federal structure with identity-based federal provinces, which the NC and CPN-UML are not for.

Recently, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has been concerned with the prevailing political uncertainty in Nepal because such a political situation might create an environment conducive to the extremists taking over the power. One of the CPN-UML leaders also has said that the protracted political uncertainty might end up either the Head of State or the army taking over the power.

These are the concerns and the views of one of the INGOs and one of the politicians expressed without deeply thinking about the political maturity of the Nepalese people, and the strength of the Nepalese political parties. The coalition of the UCPN-Maoist and the UDMF is one of the most powerful political blocks, and then the opposition of NC and CPN-UML also is not less powerful. So, either the Head of State or the army could not do much without the support of anyone of these two opposing political blocks. In the prevailing political situation, to be nervous about somebody taking power is nothing but to make one sick.

Once a part of the powerful UCPN-Maoist, the breakaway CPN-Maoist has the problem of even survival. Its chairman Mohan Vaidhya Kiran has been the embarrassment not only to the party but also to the Chinese leaders after he has said that the Chinese leaders have advised him not to go for federalism, as it might cause the breakup of the country. Chinese leaders have already refuted the claim Vaidhya has made that federalism means splitting of a country but Vaidhya has already done damage to his party and his Chinese mentors. Chairman Vaidhya has had difficulty in setting his party as a third force after the ruling coalition of UCPN-Maoist and UDMF, and the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML. He has not found any slot in the meetings of major power brokers. He has been trying to find coalition partners to prove his claim on his party being a third force. His party leaders have made a contact with the Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-Nepal) Kamal Thapa in the name of shaking hands with the nationalist party. Kamal Thapa is the known personality for reviving the monarchy whereas some leaders of CPN-Maoist have been talking about raising arms if needs arises. These guys have the illusion of reviving the monarchy and taking up arms against it but both are impossible, as Nepalese folks have been tired of both the monarchy and the armed groups; consequently, they have lost the people’s trust. Not only Chairman of CPN-Maoist Vaidhya has been talking irrationally but also General Secretary to CPN-Maoist CP Gajurel also has been highly irrational in talking about the politics and about other political leaders. Any regular political guys will surely not talk as Mr. Gajurel has been doing. It is a shame on CPN-Maoist.

On August 30, 2012, Head of State President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has had talks with the leaders of UCPN-Maoist, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF at his official residence to make them build a national consensus and promulgate a new constitution or to go to polls for electing a new CA. President Yadav has made them clear that either they have to revive the dissolved CA or go to the polls for electing a new CA. Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda, President of NC Sushil Koirala, Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal, Leader of UDMF Bijaya Gacchedar were present in the meeting with the Head of State President Yadav. President Yadav also urged the top leaders to agree on the bills before sending the bills to him for enacting them through the presidential ordinances; if not, the government should send the bills on the matters required immediate actions to the president for issuing presidential ordinances. Some political leaders argue that even for holding an election to a new CA, the dissolved CA should be revived to amend the Interim Constitution making a provision for holding an election to a new CA. In addition, the provision for updating voters’ list made in the Interim Constitution needs to be amended for holding an election to a new CA. (Source: kathmandumetro.com)

On August 28, 2012, Deputy Prime Minister holding the portfolio of Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s participation in the 16th Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran, Iran, was a decision made by a sovereign and independent country. Before flying to Iran today, Foreign Minister Shrestha said that the government did not take the suggestion of the Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions’ request to defer the prime minister’s visit to Tehran. “It was natural to express concern (over prime minister’s visit to Iran) by different countries as per their policy,” Shrestha told the media at the Tribhuvan International Airport, adding that, “We have not considered this as ‘foreign pressure’.” Prime Minister Bhattarai is set to make a visit to Iran on Wednesday, August 29, 2012, leading a 20-member official delegation. According to the media report, the United States and like-minded countries such as Britain, France, Germany along with Israel had urged the government to skip the NAM summit at the PM’s level, stating it would send a message of Nepal’s green signal to Iran’s “aggressive policy towards Israel” and its “ambition for nuclear weapons”. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

On August 28, 2012, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) warned that Nepal risked extremists taking over power unless its major political parties acted urgently to revive its dissolved parliament or vote in a new chamber, as the warring political parties had failed to communicate with voters and each other over plans on its first post-war constitution and future federal structure. “To get the constitution-writing process back on track, mainstream politicians have to manage their parties better, listen to diverse opinions and clarify their own agendas,” said Anagha Neelakantan, ICG’s analyst for South Asia, “Otherwise they risk ceding political space to extremists who might appear more action-oriented or sympathetic to a frustrated polity.” (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai addressed the nation on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, marking the completion of one year in office. In his televised address, Dr. Bhattarai mainly blamed the opposition parties for the dissolution of the CA; he defended the actions of the government, and claimed that he had made all possible attempts on reaching out to the leaders of the opposition parties for a national consensus. Referring to the allegation of dissolution of the CA by his government, Dr. Bhattarai said, "Those who were against the government proposal for extension of the Constituent Assembly are now making hue and cry." "History will evaluate the role of the parties in terms of CA dissolution but the main cause was the conflict between the status-quoits and the forces of change," he said claiming that declaring the elections was the only option available to the government when the CA was sure to be dissolved. "That step of the government prevented a serious crisis in the country," said Dr. Bhattarai, adding that the parties then had no choice but to build a consensus and said he was fully prepared to make way for a consensus government, but resigning without consensus might invite chaos in the country. "Who will take responsibility for the chaos that might trigger if I resign without an alternative?" asked he. (Source: nepalnews.com)

Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) and CPN-Maoist joined hands to form an alliance among the nationalist forces to preserve national independence. At the meeting held at the party headquarters of CPN-Maoist at Buddhanagar on August 21, 2012, the two parties took the decision on this matter. “Both the parties agreed to move ahead with the formation of an alliance among the nationalist forces for the sake of national independence,” said RPP-N Chairman Kamal Thapa emerging from the meeting.  Also speaking on the occasion, spokesperson for CPN-Maoist Pampha Bhusal said, “We have decided to join hands with all the nationalist forces to defend the country from the foreign intervention.” (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

On Saturday, August 25, 2012, the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML decided not to recognize the newly formed Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) headed by Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda and would not hold any dialogue with the 20-party alliance stating the 20-party alliance of the so-called federalists would push the country to confrontation. "The activities of the so-called alliance that divides parties into pro and anti federalist forces are not acceptable to us," NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel told media persons after the meeting. On Friday, August 23, 2012, the FDRA mandated Chairman Prachanda to negotiate with opposition parties including NC and CPN-UML for breaking the political deadlock, and decided to hold an interaction in Kathmandu on September 4, 2012 with all political stakeholders including civil society members to build a consensus on resolving the political issues. (Source: myrepublica.com)

The government realized that the Head of State needed to be convinced of the need for issuing presidential ordinances before recommending any bills to him. So, Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha went to see the Head of State on Thursday, August 23, 2012, and then on Friday evening, August 24, 2012, both Deputy Prime Ministers Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar called on the Head of State to convey the message that the government did not want any confrontation with the Head of State over the issue of ordinances; so, the government avoided taking any decision on ordinances on Thursday and postponed the cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday, believing that the Head of State first should be convinced the need for ordinances before recommending any bills to the Head of State to issue presidential ordinances. (Source: myrepublica.com)

The first meeting of the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) held on Friday, August 24, 2012, decided to entrust Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda the Alliance coordinator with the responsibility of taking immediate initiative for building a consensus among the major political forces, and also decided to hold an interaction in Kathmandu on September 4, 2012 with all the political stakeholders including civil society members to find a way out of the current political stalemate. "The interaction program will help find the solution and also help bridge the widening differences among political parties over the issue of federalism," said Spokesman for FDRA Prem Bahadur Singh. (Source: myrepublica.com)

On August 25, 2012, the opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML has decided not to participate in the all-party debate called by the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) on September 4, 2012. The opposition coalition has made this decision after the first meeting of the FDRA held at the headquarters of UCPN-Maoist at Peris Danda in Kathmandu and decided to hold an interaction with all the political parties and representatives of the civil society. Speaking to reporters after the decision, Vice-president of NC Ram Chandra Poudel said that the alliance should be dissolved, as it would only help create further polarization and invite confrontation. The opposition coalition of NC and CPN-UML also reiterated that the opposition coalition wouldn't have any dialogue with the ruling alliance until Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai announced his resignation. (Source: nepalnews.com)

Speaking at a function held in Kathmandu on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's political advisor Devendra Poudel warned of retaliating President Dr Ram Baran Yadav for turning down the ordinances forwarded by the government; the President was taking inappropriate step by rejecting the ordinances endorsed by the cabinet following the constitution, he said. "Government can bring ordinances when there is absence of parliament," he added, "The cabinet is going to endorse new ordinances on Sunday. If they are rejected again, we will retaliate against such move." He also said that the government was preparing to forward the election-related ordinances rejected by President Yadav one week ago again. Poudel also accused the opposition parties of dragging the President into controversy to spoil the entire political system of the country. (Source: nepalnews.com)

Speaking at a function held by his party in Bhadrapur, Jhapa on Saturday, August 25, 2012, General Secretary of NC Krishna Prasad Sitaula has stressed the need for forming a new government by building a consensus among the political parties on expediting the current political transition. He prophesized that Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai would quit the office and a new government led by the NC would be formed within the coming Dashain festival in November. President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has also called on the political parties to build a consensus on this matter, he said. Sitaula refuted the accusation of the NC being anti-federalism party and he has claimed that the NC has made the provision in its party statute for inclusiveness to ensure representation of Dalit, Madhesi, and indigenous and Muslim communities. He claimed that NC was for maintaining the harmony among all the ethnic groups living in the Mountainous, Hilly and Terai regions and accused the UCPN-Maoist of trying to show its political existence by raising communal slogans when it failed in the politics of class struggle. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

Speaking at a function held by the CPN-UML to welcome new cadres to his party in Bharatpur, Chitwan on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Vice-Chairman of CPN-UML Bamdev Gautam has alleged that the UCPN-Maoist leaders of attempting to run monarchy-like administration stating the Maoist leaders' style of running the country unilaterally by forgetting the politics of consensus has just resembled the administration run by the then monarch. He also said that the Maoist's plan to delineate the federal provinces based on single-ethnic identity would be foiled at any cost. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com). Such irresponsible comments of the responsible leader of the CPN-UML further strengthen the stand of the CPN-UML leaders against federalism.

Two Deputy Prime Ministers such as Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar and Narayan Kaji Shrestha went to see the Head of State on August 25, 2012 obviously to convince President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav of the need for issuing presidential ordinances after the President rejected to issue the two-election-related ordinances but the Head of State rather asked them to focus on promulgating a new constitution. After the meeting with the Head of State, DPM Shrestha told the reporters that the President assured them of the President not taking any steps against the will of the three major parties and the Madhesi Front. DPM Shrestha also said that the government would not resend the rejected ordinances soon to the President but forward those essential ordinances only after building a consensus among the parties. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

The current political situation has reached stalemate, as the Head of State even after declaring it a caretaker government could not ask other political parties to form a new government. The Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 has the provision for anybody to take the office of prime minister has to be a member of the CA. So, the Head of State needs to amend the constitution but the Head of State could not do it without the cooperation of the prime minister. That is why even though the Head of State has already declared that the Baburam Bhattarai-led government has been reduced to a caretaker status but he has not formally called on political parties to form a consensus government following the Article 38(1) of the Interim Constitution. The Head of State could break the current political deadlock only after the political parties build a national consensus. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

At a press conference held to inform the public about the probe into the illegal assets in Kathmandu on August 25, 2012, fourteen district presidents of the NC demanded that the government initiated an investigation into the properties of all those people holding the state and public offices. They alleged that the state was taking actions only against NC leaders including Khum Bahadur Khadka, the district presidents said that the state should also initiate a thorough probe into the properties of all those holding public positions. “We also demand the Nepali Congress leadership to hold investigation into all public position holders’ properties as the party’s major agenda,” said Bhimsen Das Pradhan: Kathmandu district president of the NC. The party should also take serious initiatives to review the verdict of the Supreme Court of Nepal on the corruption case indicting the NC leader Khum Bahadur Khadka, Pradhan said. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

Speaking at a press conference held by the Revolutionary Journalist Association in Syanga on August 25, 2012, Vice-chairman of CPN-Maoist CP Gajurel said, “Since the syndicate of the four political parties will not give the way out to the country so a round-table conference should be held to solve all the debatable issues.” He also alleged that Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda was responsible for the dissolution of a CA, and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai was for the parliament declaring the date for the fresh CA polls. He repeated that his party was for holding a round table conference to discuss the issues concerning the formation of a new government and the issues concerning a statute. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

Speaking at the function held by the Youth Federation Nepal affiliated to his party in Kathmandu on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal labeled the UCPN-Maoist and UDMF alliance as a failure, as the alliance could not break the current political deadlock caused by the constitutional crisis set on since the day of the dissolution of the CA on May 27, 2012. (Source: thehimalayantimes.com)

Speaking in Palpa on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Vice-chairman of CPN-Maoist CP Gajurel sent a message to Kathmandu that he would force the prime minister out of office if he were to refuse to quit it quietly for creating an environment conducive to build a consensus among the major political parties on breaking the current political deadlock. Challenging the claim made by Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda for the current government staying on in power 20 years or more, Gajurel prophesied that he current government would hardly remain in power for another three months. "There is no any alternative to finding a political solution through consensus and Bhattarai must vacate the office to pave the way for consensus," said Gajurel. He said that the government had been the main stumbling block to build a consensus, and Prime Minister Bhattarai continued to make one "anti-national" decision after another. Any decision made by four political parties on crafting a new constitution wouldn’t be acceptable, Gajurel said, any solution could be sought only from a round-table conference participated by all political stakeholders. "Only a round-table conference can be a legitimate body and that we have no problem whether the president or the prime minister convenes such a convention," he explained. He said that the reinstatement of the CA was unacceptable to his party. (Source: myrepublica.com)

On Saturday, August 25, 2012, Chairman of CPN-Maoist Mohan Vaidhya said that both President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai lost their legitimacy to stay in office. He urged both the president and the prime minister not to engage in disputing the legitimacy. "Both the president and the prime minister are fighting over legitimacy. But both of them have no legitimacy in the context of there being no parliament and some articles of the interim constitution are inoperative," said Vaidhya. After the dissolution of the CA, President Yadav and Prime Minister Bhattarai have been at odds over the issue of jurisdiction. Recently, President Yadav rejected ordinances forwarded by the Bhattarai cabinet. "Yesterday our country was only in an economic logjam and now it is in a political and constitutional jam also," he added. "We can find a solution only through consensus among the political parties." He also said that reinstating the Constituent Assembly or holding fresh elections was not possible; so the only alternative left was a roundtable assembly. (Source: myrepublica.com)

Speaking at a painting workshop held by All Nepal Fine Arts Association in Kathmandu on Saturday, August 25, 2012, Vaidhya said the office of the PM and the President has become illegitimate after the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly. "We only have institutions like the judiciary, army and the police as the remaining legitimate bodies," he argued. He further said, "The country was already in economic, social and cultural vacuum but now it has entered into political and constitutional vacuum." "Solution can be found only through roundtable debate," said he. (Source: nepalnews.com)

September 1, 2012