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Maoists take over Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar
With Nepal’s Maoist party continuing to consolidate its conquests as vote counting continues following a historic poll last week, the former guerrillas were headed to become leaders in a new coalition government, marking a sea change in the turbulent Himalayan nation’s political landscape.
“Everybody should accept that we, being the largest political party, have the right to lead the next government,” said Baburam Bhattarai, the former rebels’ deputy chief and largest vote gatherer in lst week’s crucial constituent assembly election.
By deadline Tuesday, the once underground party hunted down as terrorists had captured 102 of the 180 seats declared so far, far outpacing Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s Nepali Congress (NC), once the biggest in parliament but now struggling with fast-dwindling seats.
The Maoists were leading in most constituencies where counting was on, with the top leaders of the other parties biting the dust.
Although the Maoists have not yet renounced violence, they will almost certainly now have to adjust from being a party of revolt to being a party at the heart of government.
Nepal held its first polls since 1999 following the Maoists’ decision to end their armed struggle in 2006.
King Gyanendra seized absolute power in 2005 but was forced to give up his authoritarian rule the following year after weeks of pro-democracy protests.
He has since lost all his powers and his command of the army.
The election losers included Nepal’s powerful home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, who played a key role in negotiating peace with the Maoists two years ago, finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat, former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa and two ex-deputy PMs, Bharat Mohan Adhikari and K.P. Oli.
Kamal Thapa, leader of the only big royalist party and home minister during King Gyanendra’s absolute rule, lost and his party was wiped out for supporting monarchy at a time people were yearning for radical change.
Bhattarai, who won with the highest number of votes from Gorkha, the traditional home of Nepal’s embattled Shah dynasty of kings, told the media that while the Maoists favoured a presidential system of government with the president as the executive, the constitution would have to be amended for such a transformation.
“Our intention is to establish a presidential system,” he told a local daily. “We must reach a political consensus. In case of political differences, we may have to follow the present form of government.”
As the top leaders of the party began consultations as to who should lead the new government, Maoist chief Prachanda met incumbent prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala Sunday night to discuss the developments.
Prachanda has pledged to retain a coalition government and work in cooperation with the other parties till a new constitution is written, a task that the seven-party alliance in the past promised to complete in two years.
However, one of the leading partners of the ruling coalition said it was quitting after its poll debacle.
Smarting under a severe drubbing, the UML said it would recall its ministers from the Koirala cabinet while party chief and former deputy premier Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned after losing from both his constituencies.
Koirala, who had the support of Nepal’s major aid donors, including India and the U.S., was yet to indicate if his party would stay in a Maoist-led coalition.
Nepal’s first-ever Maoist led government would trigger a change in reactions from the world community as well.
The U.S. will now have to re-think its Nepal policy that has still kept the Maoists on the watchlist of terrorist organizations though the rebels laid down arms and joined the government.
India too will have to revise its Nepal policy and look beyond Koirala and the NC.
On the eve of the polls, India’s national security advisor M.K. Narayanan had indicated New Delhi’s support for Koirala and the NC.
Two winning Maoist contestants, Suresh Ale Magar and C.P. Gajurel, have been arrested by Indian police in the past.
While Ale Magar was handed over to Nepal despite rights groups’ plea that his life was in danger, Gajurel was sent to prison.
There are still over two dozen Maoists languishing in Indian jails despite the rebels asking for their release ever since they joined the government.
The Maoists, while conciliatory in their victory, indicated that there would be no pact with King Gyanendra.
“The king has to quit the Narayanhity palace immediately after we declare Nepal a republic,” said Bhattarai, whose party had waged a 10-year “People’s War” to abolish monarchy.
“He should leave the palace immediately after the first sitting of the constituent assembly.”
After all the results for the 601-member assembly are announced, the newly elected body has to hold its first meeting in 21 days and seal the fate of King Gyanendra.
The entire procedure is expected to be completed in five weeks. — IANS
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