KATHMANDU, Jan 28: A meeting of the joint task force of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) on Sunday has finalized the allocation of Chief Ministers, Speakers and deputy.

Following a four-hour long meeting of UML Chair KP Oli and Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the joint task force agreed to allocate four Chief Ministers to UML and two to Maoist Center, said UML leader Subash Nembang after the meeting.

Of the six provinces, the parties have agreed on Province 1, 3, 4, 5 for UML and 6 and 7 for Maoist Center.

Likewise, UML will get Speakers in Province 1, 3, 6 and 7 while Maoist Center will get Province 4 and 5.

Also, the parties have also agreed to take Deputy Speakers where Speakers are from next party.

KATHMANDU, Jan 28: Upendra Yadav, Chairman of Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN), said that his party will join the government if the left alliance becomes ready to amend constitution.

“The left alliance should clarify their stance on constitution amendment. If they assure us of amendment, we will co-operate the new government,” said Yadav at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Sunday.

“Our struggle for the constitution amendment is still on. Unless our demands are addressed, we are not participating in the government.”

Yadav also claimed that his party will lead government in Province 2. He said, “FSFN will lead government in Province 2 in cooperation with Rastriya Janata Party Nepal. There is no doubt in it.”

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TWO TASKFORCES TO BE FORMED TO SORT OUT PARTY MERGER PROCESS

KATHMANDU, Jan 10: A meeting of the party unification coordination committee of the left alliance, constituting CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) on Tuesday has formed a six-member taskforce to carry out necessary preparations for the formation of province governments and finalize the candidates for the National Assembly.

The meeting was held at UML Chair KP Oli’s residence in Baluwatar. The panel include UML leader Subash Nembang, Shankar Pokhrel and Surendra Pandey and Maoist Center leaders Ram Bahadur Thapa, Barsha Man Pun and Matrika Yadav.

The task force will finalize the chief ministers of provinces to province ministers.

According to sources, UML and Maoist Center, who had agreed to share 60-40 seats respectively in the House of Representatives elections, is likely to finalize allocate the province government seats in the same ratio. Sources said that the Maoist Center is likely to form government in Province 6 and 7 while UML has claimed its stake in the remaining provinces.

However the meeting failed to form a panel to work on party unification since the two left parties are yet to sort out the power sharing issues on the party unification and new government.

The unification process has not gained momentum as the left alliance parties have failed to meet a meeting point over the leadership management, power sharing deal and other issues.

But, the unification coordination committee meeting has expressed its commitment to expedite the merger process before the formation of new government.

According to UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal, the unification coordination committee meeting will form two panels in the next meeting to sort out the issues related to party’s ideology and organizational structure, since Oli is leaving for Thailand today for his routine health check up.

Meanwhile, Oli and Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal also held a meeting today morning to give momentum to the unification process. The two leaders have directed the task force members to start working out immediately on the basis of the sentiments of party unification and people’s mandate. Oli is leaving for Thailand at 12:45 pm.

KATHMANDU, Jan 4: CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has clarified that he is in no mood to form the government at the cost of left alliance.

Dahal’s statement comes when Nepali Congress leaders are publicly offering their support to Dahal if he is ready to become the new prime minister.

Dahal, talking briefly to Reporters’ Club Nepal’s president Rishi Dhamala at his residence in Khumaltar on Wednesday accepted that he had received informal proposals from NC in having their support if he wanted to become prime minister.

But Dahal clarified, “I am in no mood to form government outside left alliance. The people have endorsed the left alliance. Thus, I cannot even think of departing from this alliance and I cannot imagine becoming prime minister at the cost of the left alliance.”

“Prime Minister’s post is not my priority. We are currently focused on party unification and stable government. We are regularly holding discussions with UML leaders,” added Dahal.

“There is no dispute between Oli and me regarding the party unification,” he furthered.

“Oli ji’s health condition is not well now. Once, he recovers we will expedite the unification process.”

“The party unification coordination committee meeting will be held very soon and the unity process will be concluded as well,” said Dahal.

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KATHMANDU, Jan 1: The Left Alliance has urged the Election Commission to immediately announce the result of elections held for the member of the House of Representatives under the Proportional Representation (PR) category.

Leaders of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) on Monday met with EC Chief Commissioner and Commissioners and urged them to make the results public by respecting the popular mandate and the norms and values of the constitution and the law.

Objecting to the preparations being made by the Commission to make the PR results public only after electing National Assembly, the leaders made it clear that there should be no obstacle in making results of an election public.

Stating that the failure of the EC to announce the results was delaying the formation of a new government and thereby inviting the possibility of a damage to democracy, the leaders said that it should be the government and constitutional bodies that should resolve the constitutional or legal problems, if any, in this regard.

Talking to reporters following the meeting, UML Vice-chair Bhim Rawal said that they made it clear that the results should be announced within seven days as per the spirit of the constitution, otherwise, it would be against the popular mandate. The NA election results were not necessary as there is no confusion regarding fulfillment of 33 per cent of women’s representation in the parliament, he said.

In response, the Commission office-bearers gave the assurance to make a collective effort for resolving the problem in consultation with the political parties, Rawal said.

The delegation from the alliance included UML Vice-chair Rawal, leaders Subash Nembang, Agni Kharel and Krishna Gopal Shrestha and MC leaders Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Barshaman Pun and Ram Narayan Bidari.

In the recently concluded elections in Nepal, the Left Alliance comprising of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) has registered an impressive victory, making sure a firm and comfortable majority in the national parliament. They are also a dominant force in six of the seven provincial assemblies.

These elections will elect 275 members to the House of Representatives (HoR) and 550 representatives to the assemblies of the seven provinces.

In the parliament, while 165 seats have been filled by direct elections, on the basis of first-past-the-post (FPTP), another 110 will be filled by proportional representation (PR), for which separate ballots were used. At the provincial level, 330 posts have been filled through the FPTP system, and another 220 will be nominated on the PR basis. Both these bodies will have 33% representation of women as mandated by the constitution. Any shortfall in women’s representation – as it is huge under the declared FPTP results – will have to be made up by the political parties through the PR system.

WHAT LED TO LEFT ALLIANCE’S VICTORY?

What explains this impressive performance of the Left Alliance, forged just on the eve of elections? In the first place, credit must go to the alliance leaders, KP Sharma Oli of the UML and Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Maoist Center. Both of them carry a bit of a charisma – they are articulate and effective communicators, have the organizational acumen and are politically agile and manipulative. They were backed by strong organizational support and campaigned for giving Nepali people stability, peace and prosperity.

There were doubts if the cadres of these two communist parties, which have been locked in adversarial conflict and rivalry for years, would support each others’ candidates. The elections results have set such doubts aside.

The victory of the Left Alliance has been greatly facilitated by a weak and directionless opposition put up by the Nepali Congress (NC) led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. There was an attempt by the NC to forge a democratic alliance with the Madhes-based and other non-Communist parties in order to counter the Left Alliance, but this grouping failed to firm up. Considerations of personal egos, political turf and the lack of organizational resilience came in the way, so much so that in some places, Madhes-based leaders not only ended up contesting against the NC but even fought and won on UML tickets. Some ranking Congress leaders like Bimalendra Nidhi were trounced by their rivals like Rajendra Mahto of the Madhes-based Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN).

The Nepali Congress also ran a lackluster campaign. Its main plank was to scare people against the possibility of the Left Alliance imposing a totalitarian state, which did not cut much ice with the Nepali voters. In their assessment, Nepal’s communist parties, barring their alienated extremist factions, have been democratized as they have come to power through ballot in the past and learned to share power and governance with the other democratic parties including the NC and the Madhes parties.

The Nepali Congress said very little about its development agenda for Nepal and even failed to highlight many of its own achievements, such as always being in the forefront of Nepal’s struggle for democracy, ushering in the new constitution and holding all the three constitutionally mandated elections at the local, provincial and parliamentary levels in a short time of 18 months against heavy odds. No wonder that it has ended up with only 23 elected seats at the national level, though they are very close to the UML in PR votes.

The Madhes parties also did not put up a strong electoral showing. Except in province 2, they lost in the other six provinces to the Left Alliance, both at the provincial as well as federal level. With the exception of a couple of leaders, most were uninspiring in their campaign. They could not forge firm unity amongst themselves and had two competing formations – the RJPN and the Federal Socialist Forum of Nepal led by Upendra Yadav. Yet another important Madhes-based group of the Tharu community led by Bijay Gachhadar even merged with the NC on the eve of the elections. But this helped neither the NC nor the Tharus. Another emerging Madhesi leader, CK Raut, boycotted the elections and campaigned for voters to cast negative votes. He has been asking for an independent Madhes. As a result of fragmentation among the Madhes groups, the cause of Madhes accommodation pleaded by them has suffered a loss of political credibility at the national level.

An important aspect of the Nepal election has also been the rout of regressive forces that want Nepal to become a Hindu state under a constitutional monarchy.

This is evident in the miserable failure of the two Rastriya Prajatantra Party factions. All their leaders have lost and their vote count has suffered so severely that they could not be able to secure 3% of the total PR votes required to be recognized as ‘national parties’. Against them, two smaller parties which have also failed in securing ‘national party’ status, have done better. They are Bibeksheel Sajha Party led by Rabindra Mishra and the Naya Shakti Party led by former Maoist Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. While the Sajha Party has failed to get elected at the national or provincial level, it has secured nearly two lakh PR votes and stands sixth after the RJPN in that order. The Naya Shakti Party has failed to garner much PR votes but has succeeded in sending one representative to parliament and two to the provincial assemblies. Both these new parties stand for a corruption-free and transparent political system and good, people-centric governance.

NEPALIS WANT STABILITY, DEVELOPMENT

It would be a mistake to read the emergence of the Left Alliance as Nepal’s preference for communism. In their vote for the alliance, Nepali voters have clearly expressed their new nationalism which has three key components – the search for political stability and peace, the demand for fast and comprehensive development and assertion against India.

While it was a monarchy, Nepal was governed as a rentier state without any concern for the well-being of the people. Since the beginning of the 1990s, Nepalis have lived with violence and instability precipitated by the Maoist insurgency.

The successful people’s movement of 2005-06 and the mainstreaming of the Maoists unleashed the hopes and aspirations of ordinary Nepalis for stability and development. These aspirations were, however, belied by the Nepali politicians’ continued power struggle and lack of institutionalization of democracy due to perennial political instability. Even the reconstruction of earthquake-inflicted destruction was ignored in the midst of political games. Now after the adoption of the new constitution, Nepalis want order, stability and development.

The main question before the new Left Alliance government will be to address these aspirations by measuring up to the promises made during the election campaign by the top UML and Maoist leaders. The very first pre-condition for the Left Alliance to perform on its promises is to maintain unity, even if they fail to forge the promised merger of the two parties. A merger may not be easy for the UML and the Maoists as they have serious ideological differences, and divergent political approaches regarding some of the key political and constitutional issues like constitutional amendments for accommodating the remaining Madhes demands, working of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to complete the peace process, creation of new institutions like the ‘Executive/Effective Presidency’ and working out credible power-sharing arrangements to satisfy their respective cadres.

The Left Alliance is not going to get a two-thirds majority after the PR votes are added and this will force them to take the opposition groups on board for any constitutional change. Both Oli and Prachanda have led governments at different times and under different political arrangements. They are known for efficient power management and political consolidation. They have to desist from the politics of patronage and party/personal control of constitutional and governing institutions they have been apt in pursuing so far.

This is a tall order and time will tell how the Left Alliance conducts itself. Strains in any of these areas can impinge heavily on the unity of the alliance. In the final analysis after the PR vote counting, the UML does not have an absolute majority on its own, prompting the Maoists to look for greener pastures elsewhere if the alliance keeps them uncomfortable as a subordinate partner. The possibility of Oli reaching out to either NC or Madhes-based parties to liberate himself from the Maoists is a rather remote proposition.

CHALLENGES FROM OUTSIDE NEPAL

Outside the domestic challenge, the Left Alliance also has to cope with Nepal’s two giant neighbors – India and China. The UML under Oli had opened Nepal’s option of cultivating China to diversify its heavy dependence on India in the matters of trade and transit. Prachanda and the Maoists have always looked towards China as a counterbalance to pressures from India. Since the launching of its Belt and Road Initiative, China is also keen to expand its economic engagement and strategic space in Nepal under the excuse of facilitating Oli’s and Prachanda’s developmental agenda. China was looking forward to the victory of the Left Alliance, and is assiduously working to see this alliance turn into a single party to help it carry forward its economic and strategic initiatives in Nepal.

The Left Alliance had objected to the Deuba government’s cancellation of the Budhi Gandaki power project with a Chinese concern and promised to reverse this decision. In pursuing its engagement with China, the Left Alliance may find it prudent to be careful on two counts. One, it should avoid entering into such projects with  China that can lead it into a long-term debt-trap, as has been the case with countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Maldives, or even Pakistan. Secondly, it may be well advised to steer clear of such projects that may trigger India’s security sensitivities and concerns. Both Oli and Prachanda are intelligent and experienced leaders. They are acutely aware of the structural constraints and avoidable red lines inherent in India-Nepal relations. That is why they have repeatedly and publicly been stating their desire to bring a balance in building co-operative relations with both their northern and southern neighbors. Let us hope they create a new and credible framework of Nepal’s foreign policy to do so.

HOW INDIA CONTRIBUTED TO RISE OF LEFT ALLIANCE

If the victory of the Left Alliance is seen as bad news in New Delhi, the fact is that India has unwittingly contributed to the rise of both the Left Alliance and the new Nepali nationalism with anti-India undertones. Recall some of the recent developments in India-Nepal relations – Delhi’s brazen diplomatic intervention in Nepal’s constitutional process through the sending of its foreign secretary to halt that process in September 2015; its coercive economic diplomacy to punish Oli for not responding to its constitutional preferences regarding accommodation of Madhesi demands; its blessings for unseating Oli once by supporting Sushil Koirala against him in 2015 and then by encouraging Prachanda to defect and align with the NC in 2016.

(The article has been adopted from The Wire.)

KATHMANDU, Dec 19: Second-rung leaders of CPN (Maoist Center) have cautioned the party against rushing for unification with CPN-UML unless there is a clear agreement on power sharing at hand.

Both the parties have started talks on possible merger between the two largest parties and power-sharing deal, but concerns over party’s standing and portfolio in the merged unit looms ahead.

Various Maoist Center leaders, during the Party’s central secretariat meeting on Monday, have stressed on sorting out issues related to party leadership before initiative the unity process so as to avoid any possible conflicts in future.

Maoist Center is keen to embrace collective leadership but some leaders of UML like Ishwor Pokhrel, General Secretary of the party, have stressed on single party leadership. Pokhrel, earlier this week, said that prime minister, party chair and parliamentary party leader should be the same person or there would be multiple centers within the party. Though he said that it was his personal opinion, it certainly invited some waves within the Maoist Center, who is expecting some respectable status in the new party.

Some leaders of both parties have said that both UML Chair KP Oli and Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal would head the government for two-and-half-years each in line based on mutual consent, reported Republica.

Bhim Rawal talking to Reporters’ Club Nepal on Monday also said that Oli and Dahal would divide position of prime minister and party chair between each other in consensus.

It has also been reported that Maoist Center would get the position of President and House Speaker after the party merger.

Maoist Center Spokesperson, Pampha Bhusal agreed that there were differencing views and challenges between the two parties regarding the merger process, but she clarified that the unity process will go as planned as the people have already accepted the left alliance and left unity process.

KATHMANDU, Dec 11: The Left Alliance has secured two-third majority in the Federal Parliament under the first-past-the-post electoral system. The election partners CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center), altogether, have won 112 House of Representative seats under FPTP category, which completes the two-third of the total 165 seats.

UML has emerged victorious in 76 constituencies with 5 still leading, whereas Maoist Center has won in 36 constituencies. Also, Rastriya Janamorcha, who allied with the left alliance has won one seat, making 113 total for the left alliance.

The left alliance still needs 74 more seats to mark a complete two-third majority—which is 184 seats– as the total seats of House of Representative is 275, including both FPTP and Proportional Representation category.

Meanwhile, the ruling party Nepali Congress—the largest party of the second Constitution Assembly election 2013 (105 of 240 seats)—has only secured victory in 21 constituencies.

Likewise, the regional parties Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has won in 10 constituencies each.

Also, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Naya Shakti Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party has won in one constituencies each.

BAGLUNG, Dec 9: Left alliance candidates have come out victorious in all constituencies in Baglung in the first phase of the House of Representatives and State Assemblies elections held on November 26.

The district has two seats in the House of Representatives and four in the State Assemblies.

CPN-UML candidate Surya Prasad Pathak representing the left alliance defeated Nepali Congress’s Champa Devi Khadka. He secured 33,645 votes, while Khadka finished with 20,616 in her name.

Likewise, in Baglung -2, CPN (Maoist Center) candidate Devendra Poudel beat NC candidate Neeraj Pun to win the HoR seat with 28,827 votes. Pun got 19,905 votes.

Similarly, CPN-UML candidate Indralal Sapkota came out victorious in the Baglung-1 State Assembly ‘A’ elections by securing 17,915 votes against 11, 989 votes obtained by his nearest rival NC’s Deependra Bahadur Thapa.

Likewise, Rastriya Janamorcha’s Krishna Thapa representing the left alliance won a Baglung-1 State Assembly seat with 15,636 votes. His nearest competitor NC’s Prakash Sharma Poudel secured 9,094 votes.

Similarly, CPN (MC) candidate Chandra Budha won the Baglung-2 State Assembly ‘A’ seat with 17,415 votes against 11,546 votes garnered by his nearest NC’s Manjesh Bam Malla.

Rastriya Janamorcha’s Tek Bahadur Gharti emerged victorious in the Baglung-2 State Assembly elections. He obtained 11,884 votes, while his nearest rival NC’s Jeet Sherchan 8,624 votes. RSS

‘DEUBA HAS NOT STUDIED CONSTITUTION. IF HE HAS, THEN HE MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN IT.’

BARIDYA, Dec 2: Vice-chairman of CPN-UML and a House of Representatives candidate from Bardiya constituency-1 on Saturday said that he would become the next prime minister of Nepal.  He claimed that no other UML and CPN (Maoist Center) leaders were as morally fitter for the prime minister’s post as himself.

“I am obviously a true candidate for the prime minister post. No other leaders are as morally qualified as me to claim the job,” said Gautam while speaking at an election interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal in Bardiya.

“Even UML Chair KP Oli and CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal will second me,” he added.

He also clarified that the two leftist forces UML and Maoist Center will be united within three months after the elections.

When asked who will become the unified party’s chari, he said: “I can’t say anything about who will become the united communist party’s chair. Oli or Dahal, we will decide only after careful thinking.”

Gautam also claimed that the left alliance would win the elections since a big political wave is rising in favor for the same.

He also expressed his confidence that he would win election in Bardiya-1. When asked, “Hasn’t NC candidate Sanjay Gautam claimed that even UML cadres will vote him?” He replied, “Our cadres are not savage like NC cadres.  Sanjay Gautam distributed money to his cadres to tear down our election publicity banners. UML cadres are much more civilized.”

He also denied the rumors that Maoist Center cadres would not vote UML candidates in the allied constituencies. He said, “Why won’t they vote a common candidate of left alliance? They will vote because they want left alliance’s victory.”

“Left alliance’s victory is certain. NC is counting the constituencies where the party is going to lose election,” he added.

“Left alliance will garner two-third majority and a communist government will be formed after the elections,” he furthered.

Gautam also termed NC’s accusation that left forces is attempting to enforce totalitarianism as false. He said, “Not us, but NC is walking in that path. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is doing activities against the election code of conduct. He has disobeyed the Election commission, and election rules and laws. Isn’t this absolutism? NC has gone insane due to the coming together of communist parties.”

“NC is trying to finish the left alliance. Everything will become clear after the election results. UML is the party that runs according to people’s interest. Deuba himself is against the constitution. He has not studied constitution. If he has, then, he must have forgotten all”

He also said that UML has not mentioned the agenda of directly elected presidential system in the party’s election manifesto and added, “If people favor this, then we could back the agenda.”

Responding to a query that people have expressed doubt if you win election, you may not return back, he said, “Why did I come to Bardiya? It’s because it’s my home town. Because of my key role in party building and parliamentary struggle the party fielded me here.”

He furthered: “I have made a lot of contributions in Bardiya district’s development. I initiated the Babai irrigation project and Bheri diversion. When I led the party I started the campaign “Make your village yourself” (Afno gaun afai banau). All the road development projects here in Bardiya were accomplished in my leadership. There is no place is the district that has no access to roads.”

“Not only that, 85 thousand squatters got land in my effort. I started social security allowance.”

“What has NC done? No budget has been allocated after Dueba came to the government.”

He also accused his rival Sanjay Gautam of not doing anything for the development of Bardiya.

He also assured to blacktop all the roads of the district, provide land to all the squatters and control the Babai river within two years.