Fifteen Days of Madhav Nepal’s Government

Siddhi B. Ranjitkar

During the last 15 days of Madhav Kumar Nepal’s government since he took the oath of office of Prime Minister from the President on May 25, 2009, Prime Minister Nepal has done nothing but tear down various structures the Maoist-ed government has built, split the Madheshi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF), create controversy in the Nepali Congress (NC), and has not built his own party called Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist and Leninist (CPN-UML). We call this character of a person is a monkey character; as we believe that monkeys do not build their houses and let others build their houses, too.

After the resignation of Prime Minister Prachanda on May 4, 2009, MPRF leaders were not sure whether to support the coalition of the NC and CPN-UML to form a new government. Chairman of MPRF Upendra Yadav has been fairly cautious not to support the NC and CPN-UML coalition, as these two political parties have been deadly against the Madheshi people’s demand for ‘Autonomous Madhesh Province’ the government led by Girija Prasad Koirala has agreed with the United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF) on February 28, 2008. Whereas parliamentary leader of MPRF Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar has been for joining the NC and CPN-UML coalition provided the coalition leaders agree on his conditions. Initially, he has even dreamed of securing the Prime Ministerial position; however, later on, he has agreed on Deputy Prime Minister for himself. Thereafter, he went with the signature of 32 out of 53 members of legislature belonging to the MPRF as the proof for the support for the coalition partners ignoring the disagreement of Chairman Upendra Yadav on this matter. Later on, Chairman Yadav has under compulsion given his support for the NC and CPN-UML coalition for forming a new government under Senior CPN-UML Leaders Madhav Nepal.

Then, the legislature has elected Madhav Nepal with the solid majority votes of 353 in the 601-member legislature on May 23, 2009. Then, the President has administered an oath of office to the newly elected Madhav Nepal on May 25, 2009. Prime Minister Nepal in turn has administered an oath of office to Miss Bidhya Bhandari and Surendra Pandey of Defense and Finance respectively on the same day.

Immediately after the oath-taking ceremony, the cabinet of three ministers has made decision on building a monument to republic at the Peace Garden on the premises of Tundikhel in Kathmandu. Previous government led by Maoist Chairman Prachanda has decided to build a monument to republic on the premises of Narayanhiti museum.

Then, the cabinet has made decision on dissolving the Ministry of State Restructuring the previous government has set up, revoked the decision made by the previous government on firing Chief of Army Staff Rugmangad Katuwal the previous government has fired, and has decided to extend the term of eight Brigadier Generals for three years the previous government has refused to extend.

The Council of Ministers headed by Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has replaced the Constituent Assembly with parliamentary in the Ministry of Constituent Assembly Affairs making it Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs revoking the action of the previous government. The previous government headed by Maoist Chairman Prachanda has been aversion to the parliament so they have removed the parliamentary and made the Constituent Assembly Affairs.

Defense Minister Miss Bidhya Bhandari has come out with the strong words on not integrating the Maoist combatants with the Nepal Army provoking strong reactions from the Maoists and other peace-loving Nepalis, as not integrating the combatants with the Nepal Army means virtually ending the peace process. However, she has made Chief of Army Staff Katuwal happy, as he also has been against integrating the Maoist combatants with the Nepal Army.

At the same time, the dispute over the question of who will lead the MPRF team to join the government has intensified. Chairman of MPRF Upendra Yadav has rightly claimed for being the leader of the team of members of the MPRF joining the government as he has done in the past joining the Maoist-led government. However, parliamentary leader of MPRF Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar has staked out his leadership of the team joining the government, as he is the leader of the MPRF parliamentary party.

Then, in a meeting with the leaders of NC, CPN-UML, TMDP (Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party), and Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Prime Minister Nepal has decided to accept Gacchedar as the leader of the MPRF team joining the government when both Chairman Upendra Yadav and parliamentary leader Bijaya Gacchedar have been claiming the leadership of the team joining the government. Chairman Upendra Yadav has charged Prime Minister Nepal of attempting to split the MPRF accepting Gacchedar as the leader of the team joining the government.

On Thursday, June 4, 2009, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has sworn in eight ministers: one of MPRF, six of NC and one of CPN-ML. Bijaya Gacchedar of the MRPF is sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister whereas Sujata Koirala of the NC has received the portfolio of Foreign Minister. The rest of ministers have remained without portfolios. The mutual agreement of leaders of the NC and CPN-UML will decide who will get which portfolio.

Obviously, Bijaya Gacchedar has had negotiated with Madhav Nepal about the Deputy Prime Minister without the knowledge of the MPRF leadership. So, Gacchedar alone from among the MPRF team has taken the oath of the office of Deputy Prime Minister with the portfolio of Physical Planning and Works. Gacchedar and his companions have assumed that Chairman Upendra Yadav or his supporters will follow Gacchedar to join the government later on. However, it has rather provoked the Chairman and his supporters.

Gacchedar’s taking an oath of office has been the last straw on the leadership of the MPRF. On Friday, June 5, 2009, Chairman Yadav and his supporters have held a press conference in Kathmandu, and declared the firing of Gacchedar and his six companions such as Sarad Singh Bhandari, Ramjanam Chaudhari, Rameswor Ray Yadav, Jitendra Dev, Upendra Jha, and Ratneswor Goit from the party for not complying with the decision of the party.

Chairman Yadav has charged Prime Minister Madhav Nepal of violating the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 appointing parliamentary leader of MPRF Bijaya Gacchedar to the Deputy Prime Minister without the recommendation of the MPRF. Following the Clause 38 (5) of the Interim Constitution, the Prime Minister needs to appoint anybody to the member of a Council of Members from among the members of the legislature with recommendation of the concerned party; however, the Prime Minister has appointed Gacchedar to the Deputy Prime Minister even ignoring the letter of MPRF written to the Prime Minister stating the party has not made any decision on its members joining the government, Chairman Yadav has said in the press conference held in Kathmandu on June 5, 2009.

Protesting the unconstitutional action of the Prime Minister of appointing Gacchedar to the Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman Yadav has said that his party is taking back the support for the Prime Minister, and will launch a protest against the government; and will sit in the opposition in the legislature. On June 9, 2009, the MPRF has called for the shutdown of the Madhesh area in protest of the Prime Minister appointing Gacchedar to the Deputy Prime Minister without the recommendation of the party as required by the provision made in the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007.

On June 7, 2009, a team of MPRF leaders has visited the President, Prime Minister and the Speaker and has submitted the document stating the MPRF has fired Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar, Sarad Singh Bhandari, and Ramjanam Chaudhari from the parliamentary membership, and urged the Prime Minister to dismiss Gacchedar from the Deputy Prime Minister, and urged the Speaker to remove Gacchedar, Bhandari and Chaudhari from the membership of the legislature.

On June 7, 2009, speaking at the ‘Reporters’ club’, Kathmandu, MPRF chairman Upendra Yadav has explained to the audience that his party has accepted Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar as a member giving him a shelter when his party NC rejected him a ticket for elections, has elevated him to a leader and then even made him the parliamentary leader. However, he has turned his back on the MPRF leadership and has played a dirty political game in securing the power and deputy prime ministerial position.

Chairman Yadav also said that his party has to take such a decision on those dirty political players to save the party from destruction and to keep the values and ideals of his party; so, his party will stay in the opposition at the legislature and will continue to fight for the rule of law, suzerainty of people and for making the state administration, police and army inclusive.

Bijaya Gacchedar has been adamant that Chairman Upendra Yadav needs to join the government under his leadership to save the party from breaking up, as he is the MPRF parliamentary party leader. Gacchedar has said that Chairman Yadav needs to take back his reflex action on firing the leaders. At the same time, some MPRF cadres have burnt Gacchedar in effigy in Kathmandu.

Meanwhile the MPRF cadres have been building pressure on the party leadership to reconcile with each other. On Monday, June 8, 2009, founding fathers of the MPRF belonging to the hill region called on both sides to reconcile with each other for saving the party from disaster. Similarly, some members of legislature belonging to MPRF have urged both Upendra Yadav and Bijaya Gacchedar to forget about their respective stand and work united for saving the party from unwanted catastrophe. However, both of them has not been ready for reconciliation; Chairman Yadav wants Gacchedar to leave the position of Deputy Prime Minster whereas Gacchedar wants Yadav to take back his decision on firing the seven leaders including himself.

The Speaker has ordered the maintenance crew at the legislature to arrange seats to suit the MPRF members for sitting in the opposition in response to the letter submitted by Chairman of MPRF Upendra Yadav on Sunday, June 7, 2009.

On Monday, June 8, 2009, MPRF Parliamentary Party Leader Bijaya Gacchedar has informed Speaker of the legislature Subash Nemwang that his party has not taken back its support for the coalition government, and stay on in the treasury bench. So, since then members of legislature belonging to both factions of MPRF have not attended the parliamentary session possibly for avoiding the inevitable split of the party at least for some time. However, since June 11, 2009, some members of the legislature belonging to the MPRF have started sitting on the opposition bench while others on the treasury bench.

On June 9, 2009, with some of his supporters Bijaya Kumar Gacchedar has gone to the Election Commission in Kathmandu claiming the support of 40% of the party membership for forming a new party thus the dispute over the party leadership has culminated into the split of MPRF. Gacchedar has reached the Election commission with 16 central members and 29 members of legislature belonging to the MPRF, and has delivered a long speech justifying his stand on his behavior.

In the meantime, MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav has set off for Birgunj for the central committee meeting. He has said that Gacchedar fired from even the membership of the party has no rights to apply for a new party at the Election Commission claiming his majority, as seven of them have been removed from the party, and he cannot split the party.

Prime Minister Nepal has contributed to create the dissidents in the NC appointing Sujata Koirala to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the team leader of the NC in the coalition government. On June 6, 2009, in protest against the appointment of Sujata Koirala to Foreign Minister and the leader of the NC team in the CPM-UML-led government, Acting President of NC Sushil Koirala and Vice-president Mr. Ram Chandra Poudel have refused to attend the meeting called by President Girija Prasad Koirala for discussing the sharing in the ministerial portfolios.

On June 9, 2009, some of the NC cadres have welcomed Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala with black flags in Pokhara protesting against her saying that India has not encroached on the Nepalese territory, and the Indian Border Security Force called SSB has not chased away Nepalis from their homes. She has been in Pokhara to inaugurate the first conference of Nepal Cultural Society.

On June 5, 2009, after meeting with Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood at her office, Singhadarbar, Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala has said that India has not encroached on the Nepalese territory and the Indian Border Security Force has not chased away the Nepalis from their homes living in the areas bordering with India. However, on June 8, 2009, the state-run Radio Nepal in its 7:00 A. M. morning news has stated that the Bara Survey Office of the Government of Nepal acting on the instructions of the Central Office of the Survey Department has found that India has encroached on the 30 Bighas (One Bigha=506 square meters) of the Nepalese territory. The Local Survey Office also has complained that the Local Administration does not consult the Local Survey Office when it sends a team to inspect the border areas.

On June 5, 2009, Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood also has said that India has not encroached on the Nepalese territory and the Indian Border Security Force has not misbehaved with Nepalis; so, the members of legislature stating the Indian encroachment on the Nepalese territory and the Indian Border Security Force chasing away the Nepalis from their homes have made irresponsible remarks. Then, the members of legislature have demanded the Government of Nepal to send Indian envoy Rakesh Sood back to India for his undiplomatic remarks made on the members of the legislature.

On June 9, 2009, leaders of the UCPN-Maoist and CPN-UML have meet at Godavari Resort in Kathmandu to sort out the problems of boycotting the parliamentary session. Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist Prachanda has assured Prime Minister Madhav Nepal of cooperation on running the parliamentary session smoothly provided the government meets the demands of his party. He also has asked the Prime Minister not to take actions against Kul Bahadur Khadka: the Second-in-Command in the Nepal Army and appointed to the Acting Chief of Army Staff by the government headed by Prachanda.

Defense Minister Miss Bidhya Bhandari has called Chief of Army Staff Rukmangad Katuwal over to her office at Singhadarbar and ordered him not to initiate any actions against Second-in-Command Kul Bahadur Khadka, as it is the political matter rather than an internal matter of the army. A few days ago talking to the reporters, Miss Bhandari has said that she will take actions against Second-in-Command in the Nepal Army Kul Bahadur Khadka.

Squabbling with each other over ministerial portfolios has continued. The meeting of the NC and CPM-UML leaders on sharing in ministerial portfolios has ended inconclusively on Friday, June 5, 2009. The NC leaders have claimed the portfolios such as Local Development, Water Resources, Labor and Transportation, and Peace and Reconstruction. On Sunday, June 7, 2009, too, in a two-hour long meeting held at the Koirala residence, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal and NC President Girija Prasad Koirala have failed in coming to an agreement on sharing in the ministerial portfolios.

CPN-UML leaders have been wrangling with each other over the ministerial portfolios. Madhav Nepal has put forward the name of Bhim Rawal for the Ministry of Home whereas Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli has favored Miss. Bidhya Bhandari currently holding the Defense Portfolio; Chairman Jhalanath Khanal wants Mr. Iswor Pokharel to be the Home Minister. Former Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam also has claimed the Ministry of Home for himself. However, some CPN-UML leaders have said that the press has exaggerated it.

Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has criticized the role of the UN agencies such as UNMIN and OHCHR in Nepal. UNMIN has stated that it has worked within the mandate given to it following the consensus politics for verifying the Maoist combatants, so, political parties might change the mandate if they want. The Prime Minister has also made fun of OHCHR saying it has asked for the extension of its term for three years but he has agreed on extending for three months only clearly marking Prime Minister Nepal is not much concern about human rights. Thus, Prime Minister Nepal either does not know or just ignore the fact that such UN organizations work impartially.

On June 10, 2009, Samuel Tamrat: special representative of UN General Secretary Ban-ki Moon has said that re-verification of the Maoist combatants is not possible following the release of the videotape of Maoist Chairman Prachanda addressing the Maoist trainees. NC leaders have been demanding re-verification of the Maoist combatants following the videotape of Chairman Prachanda addressing the Maoist trainees at Chitwan and saying the number of Maoist combatants is only 7, 000 but the number will be inflated.

On June 9, 2009, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal and his colleagues meeting with Maoist Chairman Prachanda and his colleagues at the Godavari Resort have shown to be flexible toward the Maoists probably thinking that he will not be able to govern without the cooperation of the Maoists. Joining hands with the Maoists means infuriating the NC leaders. Immediately after taking an oath of office, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal and his Defense Minister Miss Bidhya Bhandari have pleased the NC leaders reversing some of the crucial decisions made by the government of Maoist Chairman Prachanda.

Prime Minister Nepal will be better off not splitting other political parties, as he will lose the votes of the dissident groups. For example, if MPRF splits then Prime Minister Nepal loses some dissident votes making support for him in the legislature marginal. Then, he will be vulnerable to even small political parties participating in the government. So, Madhav Nepal might be making his own term of Prime Minister short creating cracks in other political parties.

June 12, 2009.