Thursday, January 03, 2013

Trying To Break The Deadlock

English: leaders of CPN maoist of Nepal.
English: leaders of CPN maoist of Nepal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Given that January 9 is the absolute deadline. The Election Commission must have all it needs by then for it to be able to conduct elections in April-May.

Given that elections must be held in April-May.

Given that the last constituent assembly has to be taken into account in terms of saying today how much strength each party has.

UCPN(M) -- 119 (Prachanda-Baburam)
MJF(D) ---- 13 (Gachhadar)
MJF(R) ---- 12 (Raj Kishor)
TMLP ------ 11 (Mahantha Thakur)
TMLP(N) --- 10 (Mahendra Yadav)
SP -------- 5 (Rajendra Mahato)
SSP ------- 4 (Anil Jha)
Others ---- 40 (15 parties)

CPN(M) --- 110 (Baidya-Badal)

NC ------- 65 (Sushil-Deuba-Ramchandra)
UML ------ 58 (Jhalanath-KP)
Others ---- 6 (2 parties)

Ashok Rai - 50 (FSP)
Kumar Rai - 50 (SDP)

MJFN ------ 14 (Upendra Yadav)
NMSP ------ 13 (Sharad Singh)

RPP ------- 8 (Pashupati)

CPN(ML) --- 5 (CP)
CPN-ML(Samajwadi) - 4 (Bogati)

The numbers don't look good for the NC and the UML at all. It is still 214 versus 129. Political arithmetic says the FDRF is by far the largest political alliance in the country today.










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NC, UML Being Unreasonable


NC, UML Being Unreasonable

Consensus is not what the NC and the UML want. Those are only two parties. Consensus necessarily has to include the views of the largest party and, more importantly, the largest alliance. I feel the ruling alliance has exhibited utmost flexibility, and it might now be time to bring about a steep polarization.

Decentralization Versus Federalism

What the Nepali Congress and the UML Bahuns are for is called decentralization. King Birendra was also for decentralization. Federalism is something different.

The Unthinkable

I never imagined the Constituent Assembly would need more than its allotted two years. I never imagined the Constituent Assembly would go down after four years without having given the country a constitution. And now I fear January 9 will come and go just like that. The NC and the UML will have created a scenario whereby Baburam Bhattarai gets to be PM for far longer than even I want, and I happen to support the guy.

No independent candidate for PM, say NC, UML
The two major opposition parties, at a two-party meeting held at the NC party office at Sanepa ...... "There is no point changing our decision because Sushil Koirala is not only our party´s unanimous candidate but also the unopposed leader in the opposition alliance," Upadhayay told Republica. "Also, he [Koirala] has support from leaders of some other political parties as well, including Upendra Yadav." .... NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said they decided to further intensify bilateral as well as multilateral talks in the next couple of days.
Everything was settled but PM refused to go
the CA’s dissolution on May 27 and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s unilateral announcement of new CA polls. The proposal for new CA polls should at least have been discussed with Nepali Congress and CPN-UML. Since, there is a fear among opposition forces that the ruling coalition wants to capture the whole state power. Bhattarai announced new polls knowing fully well CA polls was no ordinary election and they could only be held through broad political consensus. ...... there was an understanding between all parties that new polls should be held by April/May. There were agreements on 240 electoral constituencies and reduction in PR seats. The opposition parties had proposed that Bhattarai government should clear constitutional hurdles on the basis of agreement among parties. ..... The ruling coalition believes there will be no CA polls under Nepali Congress leadership. ...... more than who will win the next CA polls, NC is more worried about if there will be any election at all. Let us not forget, nearly five years have elapsed since the last polls. If there is no election now, democracy will be under threat. It is the historical duty of Congress to safeguard democracy. ..... post-split, the Maoists must know their electoral prospects are dim. They must also feel that since it was UCPN (Maoist) leadership which announced CA polls, elections should be held under the same party. I don’t think Baburam Bhattarai is serious when he accuses Congress of not wanting to hold elections. ..... If there is no broad-based agreement by January 9, the chances of CA polls by May will be significantly reduced. .... I don’t want to comment on the Madhesi parties beyond saying that they want to prolong their tenure in government. ..... If there is third-person leadership, the state of chaos witnessed in Nepal between 1950 and 1955 will be repeated. At a time a government led by the biggest party in the country has failed to hold election, how can a neutral candidate, without any public mandate, succeed? That will only complicate the situation. ..... all issues have already been settled. The only hindrance to a breakthrough at this point in time is the refusal of Baburam Bhattarai to make way. You see, there are no differences on the minimal agreement needed for May polls. This includes removing constitutional hurdles, adequately staffing the Election Commission, declaration of electoral day and establishment of consensus government to achieve these goals. ...... The interim constitution clearly provisions for a constitution of a federal, democratic republic. The new CA cannot override this principle. The current practice of accusing someone of being anti-federalist, I believe, is a part of electoral politics. No party at present is anti-federalist. ..... both had accepted the proposal that the current government would clear the legal and constitutional hurdles, after which it would make way for NC-led government .... in today’s context, I believe Baburam Bhattarai has become addicted to power.
General's brief
his alleged deal with the Maoist Prime Minister could potentially have a lasting impact on his tenure. There were sensational news reports that he had agreed to confer a colonel position to one of the absorbed Maoist combatants and a few other lieutenant colonels in return for a three star position. .... Not only the ministry, but it has also greatly perturbed opposition parties. ..... What NA lacks is a retention policy. The best and brightest within the organization are falling off the ladder. The absence of a merit-based promotion system, compounded by lack of incentives and meager pay-scale has compelled many capable officers to look for alternatives. Retaining talent is a major headache for the institution. ..... Despite fielding competent Generals like Nepal Bhusan Chand and Pawan Pande, UN has not awarded any senior position to the NA for quite some time, which is unsettling. ....... The decision to render an officer’s earnings at par with a normal soldier’s while engaged in peace keeping duties needs to be reevaluated. .... And then, there is General Rana’s Facebook page and his vision statement that explicitly avow that NA should engage in nation building. ..... Nepal has hardly added any noticeable wattage to the national grid in the last decade
Opposition ignores PM’s ‘third alternative’
The opposition has categorically dismissed Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s idea that the next PM should be an independent candidate. A meeting between the NC and UML on Wednesday evening decided so they would seek no alternatives to Sushil Koirala as the next PM.
Bhattarai's four pillars, Kantipur
PM Bhattarai shows no signs of discomfort and is on a confrontation course with the president, calling his statement unconstitutional ..... Bamdev Gautam says Bhattarai told him: "I have the goodwill of our southern neighbour, the Madhesi faction supports my stance, the army trusts me, and my party's earlier decisions are in my favour. Why should I quit?" ..... the Madhesi Morcha's support is the main basis for Bhattarai's staying power in government. .... PM Bhattarai also has a good relationship with COAS Gaurav Samsher Rana. ..... Rana is understood to have told President Yadav that the army's control lay with the government. ..... Political analyst Jhalak Subedi says: "No matter how grave the situation becomes, the president cannot remove Bhattarai. It would be unconstitutional to do so, and Bhattarai is staying on only because of that technical reason."
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Wednesday, January 02, 2013

A Non Political Cabinet Of Technocrats



It would be a breath of fresh air if a non political cabinet were formed in the leadership of a non political PM. This experiment was successfully conducted in Bangladesh under similar political circumstances.

जसरी भएपनि सविधानसभाको चुनाव गनुपर्ने : मन्त्री महतो
मधेशी मोर्चालाई सरकारमा बस्ने कुनै नैतिक आधार छैन : आत्माराम प्रसाद साह, महासचिव–मधेशी जनअधिकार फोरम (गणतान्त्रिक)

PM proposes to form govt under neutral candidate
EC heads for a vacuum; likely to cast shadow on elections
Opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, are still firm about not participating in the elections without the Bhattarai-led government being replaced by a national consensus one.
2012, a year of futile manoeuvrings, stunts
a year of meaningless manoeuvrings and stunts that only dragged the nation to a deeper political quagmire. ...... The year saw substantial achievement made in connection with the peace process. The protracted process of integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants finally saw completion. In the anti-corruption front too, major decisions did take place that forced such prominent political figures as Chiranjibi Wagle, Gobinda Raj Joshi and Khum Bahadur Khadka (coincidentally all Nepali Congress leaders) to be thrown behind bars. .... loadshedding acted like ants in the businessmen’s pants.
जहाँ पुगेर सहमति हुन्छ, त्यहिं पुग्नुपर्छः दाहाल
महत चढेको जहाज एमाओवादीले फर्काए
महतले सभालाई सम्बोधन गर्दै एमाओवादी कार्यकर्ताको कृयाकलाप अधिनायकवादी, उद्दण्ड र निरंकुश रहेको बताए । आफ्ना कार्यकर्तालाई सहिद घोषणा नगरेसम्म विरोध कार्यक्रम जारी राख्ने उनले बताए ।
Consensus in next couple of days: Dahal
“We should not object to a candidate from outside the parties though," added Dahal.
CPN-Maoist to come up with policy after general convention
Baidya has said that the party would take a clear policy to wage a new people´s revolution after the party´s general convention. .... would introduce a work plan to complete the remaining part of the revolution. .... the party would move ahead by preparing for popular revolt on the basis of people´s war. .... alleged the UCPN-Maoist leaders of submerging into the parliamentary system against the spirit of the people´s war .... CPN-Maoist secretary Dev Gurung said the imperialist and expansionist forces were working through their agents, not directly, in Nepal.
No progress at Maoist property probes
Amid widespread criticism over the lavish lifestyle of some of the party´s leaders, that according to close aides was distinctly at odds their know sources of income, the ruling party had formed two separate commissions during its seventh plenum held last July at Bhrikuti Mandap. Both commissions were asked to submit their reports within a month. ..... The first commission led by party Secretary Posta Bahadur Bogati, who is said to be close to Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, was assigned to look into the huge financial irregularities that allegedly took place at the seven PLA cantonments that housed almost 20,000 PLA combatants for almost four years. .... the same plenum had formed another three-member commission led by Amik Sherchan, another close aide to Chairman Dahal, and it was asked to investigate the sources of the huge properties owned by party leaders ..... deepening factional differences and mistrust between the Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai camps have made both the commissions almost defunct. ..... all that the Bogati-led commission did was question some former PLA deputy-commanders ..... the commission had received a barrage of complaints against Chairman Dahal and other senior leaders of the party for their “poor handling” of party funds. Earlier, commission chief Sherchan had informed that a total of 65 complaints had been filed at the commission against various leaders. ...... After the formation of the two commissions, six of the seven former PLA division commanders had resigned en masse from their party posts, alleging that Chairman Dahal was hatching a conspiracy to make a few division commanders scapegoats for huge financial irregularities perpetrated by PLA commanders close to him. ........ The ex-commanders also had demanded a thorough investigation against the former PLA supreme commander and other top level commanders, over embezzlements running into billions of rupees.
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Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Non Partisan PM

Former Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha
A Non Political PM?


स्वतन्त्र नेतृत्वबारे 'भित्रभित्रै छलफल'
नागरिक समाजका अगुवाहरू मध्येका मानिने दमननाथ ढुंगाना र पदमरत्न तुलाधार ..... केहि दिनअघि प्रधानमन्त्री बाबुराम भट्टराईले पनि नागरिक समाजका अर्का एकजना अगुवा देवेन्द्रराज पाण्डेसँग भेटघाट गरेका थिए। .... भित्रभित्रै स्वतन्त्र व्यक्तीको नेतृत्वको कुरा गरेको बताइएपनि, एकीकृत माओवादी, नेपाली काँग्रेस, नेकपा एमाले वा मधेसी मोर्चा, कुनै पनि दलले यस विषयमा अहिलेसम्म औपचारिक निर्णय चाहिँ गरिसकेका छैनन्।
सातौं समयसीमा पनि फलदायी नहुने संकेत
तटस्थ व्यक्तिको नेतृत्वमा चुनावी सरकारको विकल्पबारे छलफल बाक्लिँदै गएको .... दलहरुले उक्त बाटो अवलम्बन गरे पनि तटस्थ व्यक्ति कसलाई मान्ने भन्नेबारे थप असहमतिको अर्को चरणलाई नकार्न सकिन्न।
PM's 'childish stubbornness' makes deal elusive
UML leader Nepal to form forum of ex-PMs
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Happy New Year