Maoists about to seize power in Nepal
By Bhola B Rana
Kathmandu, 15 April: Maoists are about to seize power legitimately through elections and not the bullet helped by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the international community, particularly India and USA.
Washington has remained silent to the Maoist juggernaut after initially asking all to accept the election result.
CPN (Maoist) is just five seats away from victory in the proposed constituent assembly with 601 seats for which elections were held 10 April election after two failed attempts.
With the majority Maoists can ramrod agenda for a republic and strong presidential system of government with Chairman Prachanda as Nepal’s first executive president and his deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai as prime minister.
Maoists have collected 116 of the 209 direct seats declared so far and are leading in constituencies where vote counting is in progresses.
Vote counting is being held in eight constituencies where there were irregularities 10 April and an outright Maoist victory in elections could be announced later Tuesday..
They lead in vote counting for indirect elections securing 32 percent total votes nationwide.
Nepali Congress, CPM-UML and Madesh Janaadhikar Forum (MMF) have won 33,28 and 21 seats respectively; Tarai Madesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP), Nepal Sadbavana Party have six and two seats each while Janamorcha and independent candidate have won one seat each.
JMF has established itself as the largest political party in the region bordering the states on West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where Naxalites are active. Main opposition BJP is concerned with links of Nepal’s Maoists with the Naxalites.
Although the ruling parties have supported Maoists, BJP has come out openly against the Nepali communists supporting monarchy and a Hindu state.
The JMP has established itself as the dominant force in the south protesting an interim constitution imposed by the current seven parties demanding greater political representation.
The demands have already fueled an independence movement by more radical groups that opposed the election.
MJF, NSP and TMLP will push regional issues in the assembly with their combined strength.
Forum Chairman Upendra Yadav, following his victory in two constituencies, demanded the resignation of Prime mInister Girija Prasad Koirala on moral ground and said his party will work with Maoists for ‘the common good’. Yadav is a defector from the Maoist rank..
Dr Baburam Bhattarai again reiterated a claim to lead government and said ministerial berths in government will distributed on seats obtained in elections.
If the past is an indication , Maoists will push for control of what they call ‘important’ ministries denied them by Congress and Koirala like home. finance and defence ministries to put Nepal Army and police units under Maoist control for effectively administering the country for an effective takeover.
Nepali Congress has remained silent to the Maoist emergence it helped engineer and its own humiliating defeat.
CPN-UML was elected to power as the first communist government in the world when Koirala ordered mid-term elections in 1995; under Koirala’s tutelage, Maoists are entering Singha Durbar with the barrel of the ballot when he ordered thrice postponed elections with Indian and US pressures mainly.
Koirala conspired and expelled UML from power because it was only the largest party in parliament; Koirala and the Congress have no room to play in overturning assembly elections with the massive Maoist majority approved by the international observers including EU observers and Carter Center.
Losers have come criticism saying their observations were superficial bases on observation of voting in accessible areas only.
Ousted Koirala family will have only a limited role in post-assembly politics and Congress and will be forced into insignificant ministries in government.
The Maoist victory has stunned some international capitals that were banking on a Congress victory.
Koirala’s great ‘adventure’- a misadventure- with the assembly he called a ‘gamble’ has ruined his family and party and pushed the nation into an uncertain future.
Koirala will not live to see and fight for another democracy which he wanted to perpetuate forever, in his own words.
CPN-UML, after deciding to quit government after a humiliating defeat, is expected to come out of government later Tuesday after ministers were summoned to the capital.
Prime Minister Koirala discussed post-election Nepal with US Ambassador Nancy J. Powell and British Ambassador Dr Andrew Hall Tuesday morning.
The current parliament is expected to be dissolved after the first assembly session convenes when entire results are announced—the exercise could take at least two pore weeks.
Seven ministers in the government have been defeated; supply minister Shyam Sundar Gupta is the latest victim; all five Maoist ministers won.
Published reports said Tuesday ambassadors from Japan and Norway were the first Kathmandu-based ambassadors to congratulate Prachanda at his residence.
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