No CA elections in April too under status quo: Bhusal

While Nepal’s major political parties are trying to pave way for holding new Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in November, the Mohan Baidya led CPN Maoist and its alliance of 33 political parties have been continuously opposing their initiatives. Pampha Bhusal spokesperson of the CPN Maoist and an influential leader has been in continuously discussion with the major political parties on the issue. Nepali Reporters’ Rishi Dhamala discussed these issues with this leader, who is sometime tagged as a unrelenting hardliner in the party. Here are the edited excerpts:

Why is your party warning of war to avert CA elections?

We have not warned war but there can be no elections under status quo. An undemocratic process cannot yield a democratic outcome. CA election is a grand design to sabotage Nepal’s sovereignty under the camouflage of elections. We cannot support such an elections.

But don’t elections strengthen democracy?

Lendup Dorje had also convened elections. And there are tryants and dictators who had also convened elections including the tyrannous Panchayat regime. But did those elections provide sovereign rights to the Nepali people? We should not forget the fact that all elections are not in favor of the nation and its citizen.

Why should we afraid of competing in the elections? No one can face the Nepali people as we can do because we are in politics by relying solely on people’s support.

Do you think you have people’s support?

Why not. Nepali people want to safe guard national sovereignty, integrity, and independence. Along with that people want resolution to existing internal disputes between various national forces. Our party’s major objective is to address these two concerns and empower the people by providing them their due rights as citizen of this nation. This is why we have support of the people.

Present initiatives forwarded under the camouflage of CA elections are in fact part of a grand design to sabotage the achievements of the great revolution, to push the nation into regression, and to push the nation on the path of Sikkimization. We can perceive these setbacks and therefore want to take part in the CA elections held under status quo.

Why would someone weaken national integrity intentionally?

An undemocratic government is formed by ending multiparty democracy, and by ending all the achievements of the great revolution. This has squeezed people’s right and has also endangered the existence of the nation also.

But the incumbent government was formed under aegis of major political parties?

The present Regmi government was formed under the initiatives of some politicians and power brokers who have nexus with external power sources rather than in mutual understanding of the major political parties. These same forces had foiled the efforts to promulgate the new constitution even though the erstwhile CA had almost finalized most of the contentions. In such a context it is baseless to hope that these regressive forces will not act again as directed by their foreign masters to spoil Nepalese people effort to draft a new constitution. The initiative to hold CA elections has raked up various issues including providing citizenship to foreigners and some direct interference in national economy. But holding CA elections under status quo will endanger national sovereignty too. Any understanding reached between two-three foreign power brokers and agents cannot be a national consensus.

Don’t you its an excuse to point at foreign interventions for hiding your inactions.

While we raising our voices for national sovereignty we are not only pointing to foreign interferences. We are also protesting against those power brokers and surrenderist politicians.

Do you have any idea of scenario if CA elections are not held?

Under the garb of CA elections citizenships have been provided to foreigners that will ultimately render Nepali citizens minority. The nation has been pushed on the way to Sikkimization and thereby ending national sovereignty of Nepal without even spending a bullet. Any elections that will be instrumental in creating a body that will endorse the sikkimization of Nepal in the future is not necessary for the Nepalese people.

So what next?

The March 14 understanding that paved way for the formation of the incumbent government by sabotaging all the achievements of the Nepali people including the interim constitution should be corrected. That understanding paved way for the establishment of a authoritative regime by ending democracy in the nation. Such regressive should be corrected primarily.

What will your party if CA elections are held in November?

First they said to hold elections in June than they postponed it for November. Under status quo, CA elections are not possible in Marcha also. Even if the election is held, we will not participate in it not for foiling it but to preserve national sovereignty. First Nepalese should save the nation and than only plan for its economic, social and other developments. CA elections that are held unless a situation that empowers Nepalese to think for themselves is created, is pointless.

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Translated and Edited by Chitra Raj Bhandari. Follow me on Twitter