That the UCPN (Maoist) split is no good news for Nepal irrespective of our political affiliations, likes or dislikes. This is what it is when we look at it from national perspective. The reason is the more the strength of the political parties the greater becomes the strength of the nation. An analogy can be drawn from a boulder. Its strength remains intact so long as it remains one. When broken, it loses its strength.

It is a national disgrace that the Constituent Assembly (CA) has been dismissed without promulgating a constitution. Its failure is a massive setback for the country's fledgling peace process. A huge opportunity for progressive change has been lost, and now we are going through the worst political crisis since the country entered into the peace dialogue. The whole constitutional process is thrown into limbo, and the country is heading for yet more political turmoil.

Nepal is not only gifted with stupendous natural resources but also enriched with abundant ancient arts, paintings, sculptures and architectures. These glorious hidden treasures of Nepal just need to be exposed, rendered, and made accessible to its natives and foreigners. The responsibility of the Government then boils down to creating conducive environment for Nepali boutique markets of artisan products.

Every Nepali including the international diaspora feel shame at Nepal’s leaders not being able to deliver a constitution on May 27 as promised, resulting in the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) bowing out of the short-lived unity government.  Prime Minister Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai has proposed fresh elections on November 22, apologizing to the nation on what has happened.  Whether it is national or international supporters or detractors of this move, it will surely influence new political awakenings in Nepal, hopefully giving opportunity for a new class of professional leaders to represent every walk of life.

Six years after peace process started in 2006 following a decade of armed conflict, Nepal is enmeshed in a suffocating political crisis. The belated inter-party efforts to deliver new constitution by the Supreme Court-set deadline could not lead to any positive outcome as the issue of state restructuring divided major political parties within and among themselves, leading to the demise of the Constituent Assembly (CA). As a way out from the current impasse, Maoist- led government has announced fresh CA election for 22 November 2012 which is not a desirable option.

We are in turmoil now and it is deepening. Nobody knows when the period of interregnum ends. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, on May 27, asserted his executive authority in deciding November 22 as the date of holding election for a new Constituent Assembly (CA) even before the existing CA was left to die. The reason he gave to the people in his midnight address was there was no other way to conclude the constitution-writing with the parties failing to reach consensus to issue the statute from the CA on the day. But little did he realize that his adventure would reduce him only to a care taker prime minister in the absence of CA.

Within the past few weeks, before the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, Nepal saw numerous strikes, demonstrations and violence. Such nationwide protests demanding ethnic federalism and opposing it at a time when the country is being restructured could destroy the social harmony that so happily exists between the various communities throughout the country. The national fabric seems to be breaking down; the very foundation of the state is crumbling; and violence is spiralling out of control. Suddenly in some parts of our country, people who have lived side by side in harmony for many years have been incited to hate one another and to regard each other as enemies. Whoever is responsible is playing with fire – and our political leaders seem to be doing nothing about it.

Indian diplomacy in Nepal is marked by a great deal of Dr. Jackyl and Mr. Hyde character.  Her diplomats have been consistently found showing us   their twin faces, the public and the private one. In the public, they are smart to apply all the available sweet adjectives that can best describe Nepal-India relations. Their conduct in private, however, has always failed to conform to what they say in the public.