UML in a fix; fumbles over statute amendment episode
(Nepalnews commentary) By Sanjaya Dhakal
In a clear indication of desperation overtaking acumen, the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) fumbled over the statute amendment episode.
Less than two days after they dashed ahead and registered a separate statute amendment proposal proposing to remove King through impeachment motion, the red-faced comrades were compelled to withdraw it in the face of growing criticism.
No sooner had they registered the proposal at the legislative-parliament on Sunday, senior leaders of Nepali Congress (NC) and Maoists were united in jeering the UML.
"We are surprised by the manner in which the UML has gone ahead unilaterally to register the proposal without consulting with us," said NC general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel.
Maoists were even more merciless in criticising the UML. "We have taken this proposal as an indication that the UML stands in favour of ceremonial monarchy. At a time when we are working to usher in republic, the UML just wants to impeach an individual King," said Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.
Despite vehement denial of unilateral action, the UML leaders agreed to withdraw the proposal on Tuesday. "We believe that such amendment proposal is necessary to take action against the King," said Bharat Mohan Adhikary, standing committee member of the party. He also fervently refuted remarks that the UML was trying to protect monarchy. At the end, the volley of criticism proved too much for the party.
While the whole drama of amendment proposal was playing out, the UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal was quite conspicuous by his absence. He had rushed to Gulmi district from where he made disparaging remarks about the functioning of the government. He even took the ailing Prime Minister to task by blaming him for slow pace of the government.
A closer look at the whole episode exposes latent friction among the key partners of the eight party alliance. Quite telling are the remarks Nepal made in Gulmi. He accused the NC and Maoists of hobnobbing to corner plum portfolios in the interim government.
Aimed at countering the 'NC-Maoist connivance' Nepal also threatened that his party would pull out of the current government if the interim government is not formed within mid-March. He also warned that any delay in forming the interim government and announcement of date for Constituent Assembly (CA) will inevitably lead to break up of the ruling Seven Party Alliance (SPA). "Come hail or storm, the CA must be held on stipulated time," he told reporters in Palpa.
Although the UML leaders deny it, the amendment proposal was perhaps registered out of UML's growing desperation borne out of its continued sidelining by the NC-Maoist.
"We can neither laugh nor cry. Our words go unheard and if we speak out in public, we are termed irresponsible," wailed Nepal revealing how the party feels at present.
The rapid inroads being made by the Maoists into its traditional strongholds and constituencies; and emergence of its arch-rival NC as the mainstream liberal party with wide ranging domestic and international support have affected the UML psyche across its rank and file. The resultant building up of desperation and creeping up of frustration are taking their toll on the party that once was the only major mainstream leftist party. And in desperation, parties like men, make mistakes. The hastily withdrawn amendment proposal episode is one such mistake.
The UML, which was the largest communist party that even formed a minority government in 1995, is going through internal churning to retain its foothold in the centre-stage of politics, at least leftist politics. How successful they will be can be known only after the next round of elections whenever they take place. nepalnews.com Mar 07 07
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