Post Vs Political Decency
Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has not resigned even after the Nepalis gave Maoists a mandate through the 10 April constituent assembly poll for heading the next government. A dispute as to who to head the next government is still going on among the three major parties, i.e., the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the United Marxist-Leninist and the Nepali Congress.
As the Maoists are seeking the head-of-the-state position as well as the prime ministerial position to lead the next government, the other parties disagree to accept the Maoist leadership. But the Maoists argue strongly that the people mandated them to lead the peace process to a logical end through a new government under their leadership and vision. This has been the crux of the debate.
Although the White House and New Delhi have appreciated the historical constituent assembly poll and welcomed its outcome, they have hesitation regarding the Maoist leadership in the government, signaling to cooperate with other pro-Western forces against the winning Maoists. The Nepalis this time did not mandate the other traditional parties whom the United States of America and India especially favor.
The ideological intolerance prevailing in Western minds towards the former Maoist insurgents seems to have played a catalytic role in denouncing the Maoist leadership despite the mandate. Maoist leaders Puspa Kamal Dahal, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya and others have complained several times that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has to contribute to the enhancement of political morality and decency by immediately resigning and providing a room for the new leadership to form a new coalition government. But Koirala has not spoken a word regarding his possible resignation.
After the elected Constituent Assembly introduced in Nepal the republican political system from 28 May 2008, the Nepalis have been demanding the immediate removal of ex-King Gyanendra from the Narayanhiti Palace saying that he was not entitled to capture the public property any more. But Prime Minister Koirala Wednesday disclosed his secret compromise with the ex-king that he would be provided another palace at Nagarjun, which is a public property.
Many leaders and wings of political parties participating in the coalition government have objected to this step of the prime minister. They argue that it is not right to provide the ex-king a luxurious palace after his status changed from that of a king to that of a citizen.
Besides, many think that the ex-king, the richest person of Nepal and one of the richest individuals of the world, must not be provided any other privileges above ordinary citizens if a real republic is to be implemented. This step of the prime minister has also been questioned from political decency point of view.
It is not yet known when Prime Minister Koirala is going to resign from his post after his party’s utter defeat in the poll. He had been provided the post as a respect to his long-term involvement in Nepal’s democratic movement and age seniority (he is now 86.). He had accepted the post in April 2006 while he was being oxygenated.