Prachanda proposes to elect new head of state

GAURAV BHATTARAI

KATHMANDU : UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda proposed to Nepali Congress(NC) President Sushil Koirala on Thursday to elect a new President of the country.

“If parties are to go for polls to elect a new Constituent Assembly(CA), then why not elect a new head of the state as well through elections by amending the Interim Constitution(IC),” suggested former prime minister Dahal to Koirala during a meeting held at Koirala's residence in Maharajgunj.

The meeting, which was also attended by Prime Minster Dr Baburam Bhattarai—one of the vice-chairmen of the UCPN-M, commended with an endeavour to persuade Koirala for reinstating the disbanded Constituent Assembly(CA), only riled Koirala, as learnt, when later the two Maoist leaders proposed to go for new President through polls.

Only yesterday Dahal had asserted that political parties would reach an understanding on reviving the dissolved CA to promulgate the new constitution by the end of November, while two big opposition parties –NC and CPN-UML were reiterating that fresh CA election is the only alternative and formation of a national unity government is the first step towards that.

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For big opposition parties, the incumbent government led by UCPN-M must be ousted by mid-November as fresh CA polls by mid-May is imperative.

It is learnt that Dahal is all set to hold parleys with the leaders of CPN-UML also by the end of the day.

Prachanda offered such an unexpected proposal while parties were still undeclared over whether to reinstate the disbanded CA or head towards the fresh poll to elect a new CA, despite their earlier pledge to go for election.

During a meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on October 1, major political forces —the UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front —had committed that they would be holing regular meetings among them to find a way out to existing political crisis and legal hurdles by October 16 .

But today, Prachanda proposed to elect a new head of the state through IC amendment, which exhibits political opportunism in Nepal.

Scrutinizing the current political spectrum of Nepal, political stakeholders are making promises only to break them.

A set of attitudes toward the political system are often mislaid in Nepalese political scenario giving birth to political opportunism. Tussle for power, abuse of authority for sticking to power and unhealthy competitions in fulfilling personal and communal interests at the cost of the nation and citizenry has worsened the political culture of Nepal.

In politics, political opportunism is an extension of one’s political power and political influences sidelining all political principles.The exercise of political opportunism in Nepal is not only a newly emerging idea though its influence has been more apparent and theatrical these days.