DOCSLIB.ORG

A Setback for Dahal As His Allies from CPN-UML Decide to Return Home with 53 Seats, the Maoist Centre Is Now the Third Party in Parliament

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Setback for Dahal As His Allies from CPN-UML Decide to Return Home with 53 Seats, the Maoist Centre Is Now the Third Party in Parliament WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 19 | 10 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 31.8 C 3.4 C Tuesday, March 09, 2021 | 25-11-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla A setback for Dahal as his allies from CPN-UML decide to return home With 53 seats, the Maoist Centre is now the third party in Parliament. And to make any substantial move, the Maoist chair has to look to Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party. TIKA R PRADHAN to abide by the court’s decision, we KATHMANDU, MARCH 8 will have to join the Oli-led UML,” said a leader close to Nepal. “We, how- A day after the Supreme Court deci- ever, will continue to fight the Oli ten- sion to revive the CPN-UML and the dency by remaining within the UML.” Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Analysts say the new situation Centre) by not only invalidating the could mean an existential crisis for Nepal Communist Party (NCP) as a Dahal. party but also annulling the UML- “For Nepal and others who came Maoist Centre merger, members close from the UML, returning to the Oli to KP Sharma Oli on Monday changed camp won’t be much of a problem,” the boards at party offices in several said Hari Roka, a political analyst. “It districts. They replaced the boards of will definitely be difficult for Dahal.” Nepal Communist Party (NCP) with When Dahal’s Maoist Centre and CPN-UML. Oli’s UML announced their merger in Leaders of the Nepal Communist May 2018 to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) led by Pushpa Kamal Party, many were not convinced, as POST PHOTO: DIPENDRA ROKKA Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal were both came from two different schools Women carry home fodder at Khokana in Lalitpur on Monday. at their wits’ end. By Monday evening, of thought. Some analysts had even the group decided that it will abide by said that the Maoist Centre was actu- the court decision to “take” their ally “acquired” by Oli. own parties—the Maoist Centre The communist unity, as expected, and the UML. was fraught with challenges. There The court decision may have were too many leaders with too many Congress revising strategy as court “split” the leaders along the aspirations—starting from the top. UML and the Maoist Centre Oli’s arrogance and Dahal’s ambitions lines, but it, in essence, effected a clashed and in due course both the split in the Dahal-Nepal faction. party chairs were baying for each oth- decision changes political equations Dahal now will have 53 of the er’s blood. As Dahal managed to win Maoist lawmakers and the Nepal Nepal’s backing, Oli played his cards. side, along with around 43 law- The party was sharply divided makers, would return to the Oli- along the factions led by Oli as well as With the CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre revived, the main opposition is exploring led UML. Dahal and Nepal. two options—leading the government and going for early elections. “Since there is no option than >> Continued on page 2 ANIL GIRI taken a softer approach towards the KATHMANDU, MARCH 8 move. But after the Supreme Court reinstated the House, the Congress The Nepali Congress, which had been party said it would make a move only waiting for a formal split in the Nepal after the Nepal Communist Party Communist Party (NCP) until a few (NCP) saw a formal split. days ago and was mulling at least four As two factions—one led by Oli and options, is now suddenly scrambling the other by Dahal and Nepal—were to revise its strategy, as the commu- squabbling, a legal split recognised by nist party now has split in a way that the Election Commission would have the Congress did not expect. given the Congress party a chance to Instead of the Election Commission, make a studied move whether to join the Supreme Court on Sunday effected hands with Oli or Dahal and Nepal. a split—along the CPN-UML and the But the Supreme Court decision, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Congress leaders say, has completely Centre) lines. The court also invalidat- changed the political scenario. ed the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), “We have not begun any discussion NCP within brackets, that was regis- on the future roadmap, but one thing tered under KP Sharma Oli and is certain that we should consider the Pushpa Kamal Dahal in June 2018. process of forming a new government Congress leaders say they are close- by removing Oli,” said Poudel. “We ly following the developments and POST FILE PHOTO cannot say who will or should lead the that they are currently working on The party is not yet clear on its next move. new coalition government though.” two strategies—either leading the gov- The process to remove Oli can start ernment or early polls. “Yes, a deep crisis has been averted on two conditions—either the Maoist Ram Chandra Poudel, a senior lead- as the country was heading towards Centre, which has 53 seats in the er who leads his own faction opposed political uncertainties,” Poudel told House, withdraws support, or the to party President Sher Bahadur the Post in a phone interview. “But the Nepali Congress, which has 63 Deuba, said that the first priority situation is still very tricky for us.” seats, files a no-confidence motion should be removal of Oli as the Poudel had fiercely opposed Oli’s against Oli. prime minister. House dissolution while Deuba had >> Continued on page 2 Politicians influencing constitutional body decisions comes to light once again As a minister implicitly admits the Election Commission was ‘pressured’, analysts say independent bodies are increasingly being brought under the control of the executive. and the abbreviation in brackets,” Gyawali said in the interview. “Let’s not say we forced a decision but it is true that we undermined the comments raised regarding the name at that time.” By using the word ‘pressure’, the implication is clear that the ruling party had influenced the Election Commission to give it the name despite another party being registered in that name already. This in turn has once again exposed how the constitutional bodies are failing to perform their duties independently, observers say. “The commission’s decision regard- ing allocating the name Nepal Communist Party (NCP) three years ago and its indecision regarding the dispute in the same party suggest FILE PHOTO: PM’S SECRETARIAT that our constitutional bodies are Oli (centre) issued an ordinance to alter the rules for nominations to constitutional bodies. failing to perform their duty inde- pendently,” said Surya Nath Upadhyay, PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA as the name for the party created after former chief commissioner of the KATHMANDU, MARCH 8 the merger between CPN-UML and Commission for Investigation of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Abuse of Authority. Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali Centre) in May 2018. Co-chairs KP Sharma Oli, also the indicated during a telephone interview “The Election Commission had prime minister, and Puspa Kamal with Kantipur Television on Sunday warned us about the name. But in the Dahal had got their party registered evening that certain influence was euphoria of party unity, we chose the as Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in exerted on the Election Commission to name even though it was an unusual June 2018. get the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) name with the main name of the party >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K TUESDAY, MARCH 09, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Karnali hospital in financial trouble Congress revising strategy as court decision as provincial government delays funds changes political ... Health workers have threatened to halt the services if the outstanding salary is not paid by March 13. >> Continued from page 1 Committee member, ruled out any CHANDANI KATHYAT salary. The concerned employees have But if former UML leaders, includ- possibility of going to the elections BIRENDRANAGAR, MARCH 8 warned of halting the health services ing those who are on the Dahal-Nepal under Oli’s leadership. if their outstanding salary is not paid side, come together, Oli can continue “He is our sole contender, how can Karnali provincial hospital is yet to by March 13. to be in power with the support of the we go to elections under Oli’s leader- receive the funds meant for Covid-19 Khadka said that the hospital had Janata Samajbadi Party, which has 34 ship,” Thapa told the Post. “It by and control and prevention action plan asked the government to release Rs20 seats in Parliament. large looks like the country is headed from the Ministry of Social million to pay the employees for the In the 2017 elections, the UML had for polls. Who should lead the govern- Development in Karnali Province. current fiscal year. But the govern- won 121 seats and the Maoist Centre ment and what kind of coalition will The delay in releasing the necessary ment, according to him, has issued 53. Within UML, Oli and Nepal were be formed are some of the issues that funds has hampered the hospital’s ser- only Rs5 million so far. said to have controlled 78-80 and 38-40 we are yet to discuss in detail.” vices, according to doctors. “We released the staff salary up to seats respectively, give or take. Before taking any decision about The hospital has closed its Covid-19 Paush (mid-January). The hospital For the Congress party, the revival formation of the next government, isolation section due to a lack of funds POST PHOTO: CHANDANI KATHAYAT does not have the wherewithal to pay of the UML means getting its old com- Nepali Congress is holding the meet- to manage it.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Oli's Temple Visit Carries an Underlying Political Message, Leaders and Observers
    WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 329 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 24.5 C -5.4 C Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 13-10-2077 Dipayal Jumla Campaigners decry use of force by police on peaceful civic protest against the House dissolution move Unwarned, protesters were hit by water cannons and beaten up as they marched towards Baluwatar. Earlier in the day, rights activists were rounded up from same area. ANUP OJHA Dahayang Rai, among others, led the KATHMANDU, JAN 25 protest. But no sooner had the demonstra- The KP Sharma Oli administration’s tors reached close to Baluwatar, the intolerance of dissent and civil liberty official residence of Prime Minister was in full display on Monday. Police Oli, than police charged batons and on Monday afternoon brutally charged used water cannons to disperse them, members of civil society, who had in what was reminiscent of the days gathered under the umbrella of Brihat when protesters were assaulted dur- Nagarik Andolan, when they were ing the 2006 movement, which is marching towards Baluwatar to pro- dubbed the second Jana Andolan, the test against Oli’s decision to dissolve first being the 1990 movement. the House on December 20. The 1990 movement ushered in In a statement in the evening, democracy in the country and the sec- Brihat Nagarik Andolan said that the ond culminated in the abolition of government forcefully led the peaceful monarc h y. protest into a violent clash. In a video clip by photojournalist “The police intervention in a Narayan Maharjan of Setopati, an peaceful protest shows KP Sharma online news portal, Wagle is seen fall- Oli government’s fearful and ing down due to the force of the water suppressive mindset,” reads the cannon, and many others being bru- POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL statement.
    [Show full text]
  • Oli, Despite Leading Caretaker Cabinet, on Spree to Inaugurate
    WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 334 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 23.9 C -6.5 C Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 18-10-2077 Dipayal Jumla Oli, despite leading caretaker Cabinet, on spree to inaugurate and award projects Inaugurating them is an attempt to influence elections which the poll body should look into and awarding them risks future governments not owning them, observers say. ANIL GIRI KATHMANDU, JAN 30 If there has been any direct act of defiance by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli against his ally-turned-foe Pushpa Kamal Dahal, it was on Saturday when he addressed a mass meeting in Chitwan, Dahal’s electoral constituency. Oli also inaugurated the local city hall of Bharatpur Metropolitan City and the ring road there. Conspicuous by her absence was Bharatpur mayor Renu Dahal, daugh- ter of Pushpa Kamal and chair of a faction of the Nepal Communist Party. Oli decided to go ahead with the RSS inauguration despite the mayor’s KP Sharma Oli in Chitwan on Saturday. opposition because it was too good an opportunity to be missed for his elec- have been urging Oli not to take deci- tion hustings, and that it was in father sions that have long-term ramifica- Dahal’s constituency seems to have tions and we have been opposing his been an added attraction. move,” said a Standing Committee According to a leader belonging to member of the Dahal-Nepal faction of POST PHOTO: DIPENDRA ROKKA the faction led by Dahal and Madhav the communist party.
    [Show full text]
  • It's There, Not Here Yet. As the Jab Is Still Far Away, Precaution Is Vaccine
    WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 285 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 25.8 C -1.5 C Sunday, December 13, 2020 | 28-08-2077 Janakpur Jumla It’s there, not here yet. As the jab is still far away, precaution is vaccine, experts say With countries racing to vaccinate their populations, there are concerns Nepal may be left behind, as the end of the pandemic is still nowhere in sight. ARJUN POUDEL KATHMANDU, DEC 12 The United Kingdom rolled out a Covid-19 vaccine for its people last week. Russia too has started inocula- tion. The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine for emergency use. Indian regulators are considering issuing emergency use authorisation AP to three vaccine candidates—Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Bharat Biotech, five vaccine manufacturing countries according to Reuters. Sixty percent of for early availability of the vaccine the world’s vaccines are manufac- produced in those countries. tured in India. “Yes, a lot of homework has been The vaccine developed by done. But we still do not know which Sinopharma, China’s leading vaccine vaccine will come and when it will maker, is likely to get approval in come,” Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, coordi- POST PHOTO: PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA China within December and be nator of the government’s Covid-19 Gajmaya BK, 30, carries her five-month-old baby, the youngest of her four children, while cutting millet hay in Ruby Valley Rural Municipality, Dhading.
    [Show full text]