Kamal Thapa's claim that he heads the real RPP is flat wrong. On the other hand, he has every right to launch a separate party of his own, perhaps a RKP, after the RPP and the RJP, Rashtriya Kamal Party. This guy transported his cadres from across the country in government helicopters for his convention. That act has got to be wrong in many books at once. That is blatant corruption.
As late as early last year, the monarchy had the option to renew itself through a constituent assembly. 2004 might have been better, and 2003 still better. 2002 would have been even more so. Back then the major parties in the country would have gone to the people seeking a mandate for a constitutional monarchy.
But the king got bored. Maybe he really does not want to be a constitutional monarch. What was he before he became king? A businessman? An advisor to the king? He is more used to not being king than being king. The transition should not be hard.
Or maybe he will join Kamal Thapa's party. It will be within their rights to float parties and contest elections.
The world ends not with a bang, but a whimper, the saying goes.
The recent fierce Maoist attack on Dhanagadhi had me worried. That is one of the largest towns in the country. The army has its regional headquarters there. Obviously the state security forces run poor intelligence operations. They did not see 1,000 armed Maoist cadres when they were maybe 10 miles away, or 30 miles away. And it took them hours to respond. The Maoists did not cost lives. They damaged a few buildings and they left. I am against violence, but if there is going to be violence anyway, I'd rather a few buildings get damaged rather than a few lives get lost.
The Maoist presence is in every district, and they have not weakened. They strike at will, when they want to, where they want to. There is only a political solution to the insurgency. That is truer now than it was ever before, and that was true last year, and the year before, and the year before that.
The RPP was one strong block of support for the king. Now even that has splintered. It is beneath the king to seek support for the monarchy from the people. That is called an attitude problem.
According to the king he is the only one who understands democracy. The seven party leaders don't. The RPP Pashupati Rana does not. If that is the claim, I am not betting on the king. The numbers go against him.
At this point if constituent assembly elections are held, the country will go for a republic. That is a foregone conclusion. So the seven party alliance might as well come around to the simple, clear slogan of a democratic republic. Why beat around the bush?
The politics in the country is going through a major flux, that's for sure.
The king is trying his best to look confident for the TV cameras during his visits to the districts. But the fundamentals all point against him. He is in deep trouble. The monarchy looks like on its way out.
The end of the monarchy is no longer an if, but rather a when and how, not even when, just how. I prefer a peaceful transformation from king to citizen. He gets to keep his private property. But that is if he behaves.
I think the king not only does not "get" democracy, he also does not "get" constitutional monarchy. A constitutional monarchy is not involved in politics, and it does not command the army. He does not accept that. His idea of democracy is one where the fundamental rights can be taken away if the king might so wish. And he has an activist monarchy in mind. Prime Ministers might get elected, but they still serve him. That is his idea. That will not fly, that was not going to fly.
It has been beneath him to talk to the parties. Talk about an attitude problem.
The king could have invited Pashupati Rana for talks to explain to him as to why the RPP should contest the February 8 polls, he could have tried to win Rana over, but instead he worked to split Rana's party. The guy does not have the political skills for give and take, it is my way or highway. His basic approach is undemocratic. He wants master-slave relationships. He gives orders, and others follow.
In The News
Dissident RPP Faction a Strong Royalist: Thapa NewsLine Nepal, Nepal
RPP convention expresses commitment to polls
RPP expels ten CWC members, including Home Minister Thapa, from ... Nepalnews.com, Nepal
RPP Expels 10 CWC Members, Including 6 Cabinet Members NewsLine Nepal, Nepal
RPP set to take disciplinary action against 7 Central members Nepali Times, Nepal
RPP Joint Gen Secy resigns, sides with Lawoti Nepaleyes, Nepal
7 RPP dissidents to be stripped of membership Kantipur Online, Nepal
RPP expels 10 central members Nepaleyes, Nepal
RPP On the Verge of Another Split Himalayan Times, Nepal
Dissident and Founding Factions of RPP Exchange Blames NewsLine Nepal, Nepal
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