Nepal heading for crisis, confrontation

Kathmandu, 31 Oct: Nepal is heading for a crisis and possible political confrontation as it appears unity between the SPA is about to snap.Last-minute frantic efforts are underway to forge an understanding between six parties and Maoists to avoid a division in the special session of parliament Wednesday on a Maoist motion to demanding an immediate declaration of a republic through parliament and assembly election through proportional representation not mixed election as earlier agreed.The motion will be put to vote—probably later Wednesday-- after remaining 28 members speak in the third day of the Wednesday.

Nepali Congress and Maoists have said they won’t compromise on the opposing stances.‘Today’s political situation in Nepal is like a meandering hill tracks.Voting is not the only solution. Country’s problems like loktantra, changes, assembly election are serious," said CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal."The only solution is the implementation of the constitution in letter and spirit," he said." "There’s no alternative."Nepali Congress has ordered its lawmkers to be compulsorily present for possible voting in parliament Wednesday; if put to vote, the Maoist motion will be defeated at the former rebels don’t have the required two-thirds majority to get the motion approved.
A split in the SPAM engineered by New Delhi in 2006 is imminent and certain if Maoist motion is put to vote; the result—a split in the coalition and confrontaion.Maoists have threatened an urban movement without returning to the jungle.Seven student unions affiliated with government and Maoists are to deliver a warning letter to the parties through the speaker not to break unity and the alliance.

Fears loom large of split in SPA

Kathmandu, 29 Oct: Fears of a split loomed large in the SPA as parliament meets later Monday to debate a Maoist motion to immediately declare a republic through parliament and conduct assembly election through proportional representation and not mixed election as agreed earlier by the ruling alliance.Maoists have withdrawn from the alliance after joining in on April Fool’s Day.A special session of parliament is scheduled to meet at 11 in the morning after the extended Dasain holidays when no compromise was found by major stakeholders.

Negotiations to end a protracted political deadlock collapsed Sunday night when Maoists rejected a request by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to withdraw their twin demands for an outlet; Koirala-led Nepali Congress is prepared ready for a division in parliament on the Maoist motion.

Maoists even said they would support Koirala as the country’s first president."Political polarization will begin after the voting. It’s clear. There’s a possibility of a conflict. One end will opt for a republic and proportional representation election, a group we represent. Another edge will be non-republican group supported by Congress," Maoist Spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara told mouthpiece daily newspaper Janadisha Monday.

"Don’t call for a division. If there is a division unity will be broken," former speaker Daman Dhungana reflecting the general feeling of EU member states and UN in particular said.Maoists, even with support of other communist parties in the 240-member parliament, don’t have the two-thirds to get the motion through the house."The two demands are dead issues. Maoists will be trapped because of their contradictions. They have been caught in a quicksand."Election dates should be announced . Maoists have their feet in two boats. They will make new demands when elections are announced after present demands are met."But a dialogue should be maintained," KP Oli, former deputy to Koirala, in the previous government said.

The 22, including the two major Maoist demands, had been met by the previous government, Oli told Radio Nepal Monday morning."Maoists have retreated from agreements. They talk of necessity of violence and openly advocate overthrow of government. They talk of a revolution; this should be understood," Oli said.Oli blamed Congress, his own CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist) for the country’s ‘ill health’.He blamed them for pushing only party instead of national interest, ‘cheap talk’,"Parties aren’t understanding problems. Real problems aren’t being addressed. Only superficial issues are being propelled,’ the former foreign minister said bluntly.

CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said foreign aid will stop if if the deadlock is not ended, Nepal Samacharpatra said.Nepal said this was conveyed to him by representatives of aid donors, the newspaper reported in its Tuesday editions.

Congress asks Maoist to withdraw twin demands

Kathmandu, 23 Oct: Nepali Congress of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala again asked Maoists to withdraw twin demands for the immediate declaration of a republic and assembly elections on proportional representation.CPN (Maoist) is unlikely to oblige the Koirala Congress and other ruling alliance members. The demands have created a political crisis and a deadlock in national politics.The demands will be discussed when a special session of parliament meets Monday after the Dasain holidays to discuss the demands.

Top Congress leaders Monday rejected a CPN-UML request to be flexible to Maoists; in an inconclusive meeting, Congress leader Sushil Koirala told CPN-UML Chief Madhav Kumar Nepal Maoists were escalating their demands and Maoists weren’t interested in assembly elections.Acting Congress President Koirala said Monday parliament will reject the Maoist demands and asked the party that has withdrawn from government to help resolve a national crisis through conciliatory politics.

Koirala said Maoists don’t have the required two-thirds majority in the 240-member legislature to successfully push their demands; Maoists have only 84 seats in the interim parliament.CPN-UML which has 83 seats in parliament, is also opposed to the Maoist demands, like the Nepali Congress.

Nepal held discussions with Chairman Prachanda before meeting Sushil.Sushil Koirala reiterated Congress won’t renegade on an agreement to .conduct assembly elections through mixed vote; the cousin of the government and the party chief also said the NC sticks to its position that the future of monarchy should be decided by the first meeting of an elected constituent assembly.

The vote for the 22 November assembly was pushed back for the second time.Premier Koirala said the immediate task of the government after the Dasain was to fix new date for a vote.Peace Minister Ram Chandra Paudel and fourth-ranking leader Congress leader charged Maoists are helping conservative forces by insisting in their twin demands.India has asked government to hold elections to untangle the crisis.New Delhi is currently reviewing its failed Nepal policy after election was postponed for the second time questioning the legality of the Koirala government which has failed to conduct a promised vote.

Maoists are taking on India which forged a deal in New Delhi in 2006 between SPA and Maoists propelling them to Singha Durbar by toppling the King.The real challenge for the government is to create a proper environment for the vote which the government was finally pushing under foreign pressure although conditions weren’t conducive for it.