17 parties mull change of guard
- Congress, UML proposal not clear if Bhattarai will be replaced
The main opposition and 15 other fringe parties are mulling replacing the current coalition government without further ado.
In a joint meeting of the 17 parties on Friday, leaders concluded that replacing the government is the only way to break the current stalemate and avert an impending disaster.
Tabled by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the proposal, however, does not say clearly whether the new equation will be formed under Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai himself or under any other leader from the Maoists (Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal) or from non-Maoist parties.
As a sizable chunk of opposition leaders are still not convinced that a non-Maoist government could help take ahead the peace process, chances of parties agreeing on finding a replacement from within the Maoists are high.
The leaders said that though Dahal, who is still the kingmaker, appears as a convincing candidate to replace Bhattarai at the moment, chances of Bhattarai continuing or finding a non-Maoist leader, for instance from the NC, cannot be ruled out.
“We now have no alternative to replacing this government. It is time we brainstorm the alternatives,” UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal told the meeting. Leaders close to Dahal said the Maoist chief is also convinced that replacing the current government is the best way out, but that would be possible only after February 13 when the Maoist party completes its orientation programme across the country.
“Change in the government is the best card for the chairman (Dahal) to placate the hardline faction of the party and the opposition parties as well,” said a leader close to Dahal. “But we have to wait till February 13.”
Maoist leaders said they will try to keep the Bhattarai-led government going for the time being, until the party prepares itself for a “bold step.”
In order to make the current government stay, the Maoist party is likely to agree to bidding farewell to Maoist combatants opting for voluntary retirement. “We will not go back on our position and are ready to release the combatants,” Politburo member Haribol Gajurel said.
Meanwhile, the meeting of the 17 parties urged the NC and UML leadership to go ahead only after analysing the future strategy of the Maoist party and by taking other parties into confidence. The meeting also concluded that the government and the Maoist party breached past peace agreements with its decision to legalise war-time decisions on land ownership transfers.
On Saturday, NC is scheduled to hold discussions with the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) on a wider range of issues, including the next government and the peace and constitution writing processes.
“We are scheduled to talk with leaders of the Madhesi Morcha to discuss the wider issues,” said NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC.
Posted on: 2012-01-21 09:41
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