UML Inching Towards Federalism

HoR Can Be Dissolved If It Ends Deadlock: Nepal

THT Online
Kathmandu, June 10

He said that his party is now discussing on "regional autonomy with parliamentary rights" adding that formal stand of the party will come out later.

The UML came around to a constituent assembly last year. It came around to a republic. Now looks like it is inching towards federalism. This is great news. Too bad the two Congress parties are nowhere close to coming to the idea of a federal republic. They will pay a huge price at the ballot box for it.

But if only the UML were to come around to federalism, that will fundamentally shift the balance. The country will get federalism.

If the two Congress parties do not come out for a federal republic, either the Maoists or the UML will emerge the largest party after the constituent assembly elections. Such is the mood in the country.

This shift on the part of the UML is really huge. Now the UML will be forced to come up with its version of federalism. How many states? How will those states be demarcated? That will open up a debate. It will be in the nature of the debate to open up dialogue on the larger questions of social justice. That will be positive.

The UML is key. It stands to tip the balance on both the republic question and the federalism question.

Imagine a scenario where the Koirala Congress and the Deuba Congress both stick to not supporting the idea of a federal republic, and their stand suffers a decisive defeat at the polls. And the country ends up a federal republic. That will give both parties a major downward blow in the aftermath. They will shrink further.

If Nepal could abolish the army, what would it matter if the Maoists could win at the ballot box? Of course they can contest, of course they can win.

Now another big issue is free and fair elections to the constituent assembly. We have to be very frank in terms of the preconditions. We can not be cowed, we can not be blackmailed. The seven party alliance has to be vocal in terms of making sure the Maoists do not drive a hard bargain that might look like a way to influence the assembly elections.

Prachanda talks in terms of his army, but he also talks in terms of his militia, which is his version of the police. So we are looking at two armed groups in the Maoist camp. This is tricky.

Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni
Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army
June 7 Madhesi Rally In Janakpur
Monarchy, Army, Federalism
MaDaMaJa
40 Seats For Maoists, 25 For Others
Right To Property, Right To Free Speech
Nepal Janajati Statement From NYC
Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy
Bidya Bhandari: Power Woman
Hamro Nepal Has Three Goals
Hindus, Chill
Constituent Assembly Elections Before Dashain
A New Nepal Has Been Born
Prosecutors, Do Your Homework
Public Trial
Pyar Jung's Toys
Revolution Has Moved From Sadak To Sansad, It Has Not Stopped
UN Mediation Is Key
Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation
Cat Outa Bag: Girija Koirala For Ceremonial Monarchy
Dissolve Parliament Only Two Months Before Constituent Assembly Elections
One Central Committee Member For Every Million Nepali
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ, शिक्त छैन
A Sad Article By Laba Karki
We Took Care Of The King, Pyar Jung Is Small Fry
Where Is Kamal Thapa?
Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
The April Revolution Asks For A New Political Party
No Short Cuts: Madhesis Will Have To March
Dismantle The Two Armies
Chitralekha Yadav: Speaker
Maoist Posturing
The Revolution Is Very Much On
Reciprocate The Maoist Ceasefire Immediately
Army Under Parliament, Now
Declare Constituent Assembly On First Day Of Parliament
Maoist Reaction To Democratic Victory: Not Right
Madhesi Rights: Total Equality
18 Days Of April Revolution: Victory
Cobb To Leahy
Nepal Has Hit The World Headlines
Home Minister: Bamdev Gautam
King Of India
My Most Controversial Blog Post To Date: On Madhesi Issue
King's Address: Old Wine, Old Bottle
Dinesh Wagle, Kiran Nepal In Town
House Revival Through Supreme Court Decision
कर्फ्यु तोड्न आह्वान गर्नेले
Could Girija Be President?
Sanjaya Parajuli In Brooklyn
Checkmate
Solidarity Rally DC
Why The International Community Needs To Get Behind This Revolution
April 20: March Onto The Palace, End The Monarchy
Constituent Assembly: Still The Meeting Point
जाउलो खाएर क्रान्ित गर (April 18, 2006)
Chand, Marich Man, Pashupati, Thapa, All Panches
The Art Of War, Bruce Lee
Mero Sansar Video Clips 6
End Of Ceausescu
30 Minutes With Amrit Bohra
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Irrelevant
जनआन्दोलनको कार्यक्रम
Monarchy's End: A Few Scenarios
Aire Gaire Natthu Khaire Pahadis
क्रान्ितलाई नबुझ्नु, बुझ पचाउनु
Get The Police On Our Side
Brian Cobb, Brave Man
First ANTA NYC Event, Times Square Marriott
No Room For Monarchy In The 21st Century: King
Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Monarchy
Nepali Congress Or Praja Parishad (April 13, 2006)
ये तो क्रान्ित है
Happy New Year 2063
Interim Constitution, Revolutionary Parliament (April 8, 2006)
Shoot At Sight Order: Dead End For The King
Constituent Assembly: 300 Seats Of Roughly Equal Population
Crime, Organized Crime, Terrorism, State Terrorism
The Police, The Army Need To Stop Following Illegitimate Orders
BBC Calls
April Revolution: Document Every Atrocity
Final Act: Disobey The Curfew
April 6,7,8,9, April 16,17,18,19, April 26,27,28,29
Even If The Worst Fears About The Maoists Are True
Write To Bush, Condi Before Possible Clampdown
Leahy Amendment Says No Arms To Nepal
यो सडक ितम्र्ो हो (March 28, 2006)
Loktantra, Issue 5
Deuba Off To DC
Kamal Thapa Going Jail, Kamal Thapa Chukkie Pissing
Dinesh Tripathi, Your Worst Nightmare
Plan B
This Movement Is About The Nepali People, Not Foreign Powers
No Time Pressure, Only Principle
Democracy Spreading Mechanism
Needed: Dynamic Agreement, Concrete Eight Party Alliance
Pin Plan
Sushil Pyakurel In Brussels
Pumping Money Into The Movement
Revise The 12 Point Agreement In Delhi
Undeclared Ceasefire, Decisive Movement
Moriarty In The Soup
Up The Ante: Smart Sanctions
Baburam Moriarty Debate
India, Europe, US For A Constituent Assembly (February 25, 2006)
Congress Not Yet For A Republic
The King Is Nowhere Close To Seeing The Light
Moriarty Deserves Your Ears
The Demosphere Manifesto (February 16, 2006)
Organization: Hamro Nepal
Narayan Singh Pun, I Want Your Number
संघीय गणतन्त्र
Bravo Supreme Court
Mary Joyce
"Robin Hood Im Internet"
Possible Framework For A Negotiated Resolution
A Democratic Roadmap That Does Not Rely On The King (February 4, 2006)
Conspiring Against Democracy Is Treason And Can Be Legally Punished
Non-Violence All The Way (January 31, 2006)
अहिंसाका प्रश्न
France Or South Africa
Not Journalism But Politics At The Speed Of Thought
Blogger Receives Death Threat, Bloggers Form Union
Bloody Hell
The Nepalgunj Attack: Military Stalemate Continues
Subedi Surya, Not Surya Subedi
How The Blogosphere Can Help The Democracy Movement In Nepal
Those In Nepal Should Take The Lead On Logistical Help From Diaspora
मधेशी अधिकारको कुरामा पहाडीहरुको सहभागीता
प्रवासी नेपाली: "नैतिक समर्थन कायम राख्दै भौतिक समर्थन थप्ने।"
Umesh Shrestha: Pioneer
Where Are The Second Generation Leaders?
Curfew? What Curfew? Royal Tamasha
Our Options
Curfews Will Not Save The Crown
देशव्यापी पम्फलेटिङ
India, EU, US, Japan, UN Should Be Thinking Economic Sactions
Bamdev Gautam: January 20 On Schedule
प्रहार गरिहालौं (January 17, 2006)
Baburam Bhattarai May Not Preach Violence To The Seven Party Alliance
लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नै किन? (January 15, 2006)
RPP Split Shows Monarchy Will End (January 12, 2005)
Janakpur Rally, Biggest In Nepal Since 1990
My Proposal To The Saturday Symposium At Columbia
Anand Bist, Troublemaker
Nepal Needs To Be Hitting The World Headlines: Write To The Media (January 8, 2006)
Advisors, Doers, Donors, Supporters, Cheerleaders, Spectators, Whiners
A Militarist King And A Wasted Ceasefire
Proposed Republican Constitution (January 1, 2006)
The King Is Being Super Unreasonable
Robert Kaplan Is An American Cowboy
Isolating The Monarchy (December 22, 2005)
Maoists Should Go Beyond Ceasefire To Peaceful Mobilization (December 22, 2005)
Phone Talk With Girija Koirala: Meeting History Itself (December 17, 2005)
Write A Thank You Email To Congressman Walsh
January 12 Janakpur, January 20 Kathmandu
Time For Madhesi Militancy Is Now
In The Quest For Social Justice Feelings Are Going To Get Hurt
Umesh, Turn It Into A Business
200 Brown Shirts (December 5, 2005)
Nepali Bloggers At The Forefront Of The Movement
Nelson Mandela Can Smell Fish
Lilamani Pokharel For Continuous Movement (November 29, 2005)
Attack On Radio Sagarmatha: A Regime On Its Way Down
198 Methods Of Non Violent Action
Every Sunday 11 AM Union Square
This Movement Also Against Rana Rule: Satchit Is So Much B.S.
40 Reasons Why The Three Forces Should Come Ar0und To My Proposed Constitution
Moriarty's Irresponsible Mainstream (November 17, 2005)
Indian Support For Democrat-Maoist Alliance A Must (November 13, 2005)
Gameplan (November 7, 2005)
Democratic Options (October 29, 2005)
The Army Rank And File Need To Be For The People And Democracy (October 21, 2005)
Assault On Kantipur FM: The Regime Preparing For A Showdown (October 21, 2005)
Homework For Another Round Of Civil War (October 6, 2005)
The RNA Could Be Disbanded (September 26, 2005)
The Foreign Powers Need To Come Clean On The Constituent Assembly Question (September 25, 2005)
Madhav Nepal, Commander Of The Movement (September 24, 2005)
For The First Time In A Decade, Permanent Peace Feels Possible (September 21, 2005)
Options For The Maoists And The Democrats (September 18, 2005)
Prachanda, Do Not Break The Ceasefire (September 8, 2005)
RNA, Declare Your Own Ceasefire, You Have No Choice (September 3, 2005)
Nepali Congress Goes The UML Route, Almost
Major Fermentations In The NC And The UML
Dialogue Is The Democratic Way (August 27, 2005)
You Can Always Trust The Democrats To Be About Two Months Behind Schedule (August 22, 2005)
Moriarty Going The Bloomfield Route (August 9, 2005)
No, Ambassador, Municipality Polls Are Not An Option (July 30, 2005)
Possible Framework For A Maoist-Democrat Alliance (July 24, 2005)
Koirala Disappoints: He Is The Same Worn Out Record (April 2, 2005)
Time For The Nepali Congress To Take A Stand On The Constituent Assembly Question (March 19, 2005)
Finally The Democrats Make Sense (March 17, 2005)