Nepal Must Get A New Prime Minister

New CMP, New PM, Fully PR Election, Register More Parties, Elections In April

Ultimately it has been the Prime Minister's responsibility to hold polls. He does not get to blame the others, not the Madhesi Kranti, not the Maoists. It has been for him to make the political moves and the necessary political compromises to ensure timely polls. He has failed thrice to do so.

Elections were postponed from one summer date to another. From there the elections were pushed to November. And now we have a scenario where we have no idea if elections will take place in summer of 2008, or the winter of 2008, if ever. Girija refuses to take the decisions that need to be taken to make the polls possible. He is Mr. Political Paralysis.

Unless a political settlement is arranged with the Maoists and the armed Madhesi groups, elections will not take place, not now, not six months from now. So if you are trying to hold polls in Nepal, you want to cut a political deal with those two groups. That is not rocket science. That is just common sense.

New Prime Minister

Girija has failed to perform. And so he must be fired.

Who should replace him? I think it is going to be a choice between Deuba and Madhav Nepal. If the Congress still had been two parties, I think the choice would have been obvious: Nepal.

It can not be some Maoist since that will not be palatable to the international community, for the sole reason that the Maoists still have an army.

Instead of trying to convince Girija one way or the other, the Maoists and the UML must exhibit some sophistication and play the arithmetic in the interim parliament.

Armed Revolution To Street Agitation To Parliamentary Arithmetic

They should stop acting like Girija has total power, or that street agitation is what will do it. Girija does not have total power, and street action is unnecessary. Between them, the UML and the Maoists have the numbers to undo the political paralysis.

Curiously, it looks to me that the original UML stance might be the right one. All eight parties could agree on holding a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy, and then hold a fully PR election to a constituent assembly.

And for being right the first time, Madhav Nepal should be rewarded with the Prime Minister's office right now. Even the Nepali Congress should support him.

Koirala Has Only 85 Out of 330
Completely Proportional Election: Meeting Point With The Maoists
Not UML-Maoist Unification Or Unity, But A One Point Agreement On PR Election
Baburam Bhattarai Is Right About UML-Maoist Unity
एक मात्र िमलनिवन्दु: पुर्ण समानुपाितक िनर्वाचन

Possible Election Schedule

October 2008: Depose Girija, put Madhav Nepal as Nepal's new eight party Prime Minister. Speaker position goes to Congress, to Chitralekha Yadav.

November 2008: Respectful dialogue with all armed Madhesi groups, Jwala, Goit and the rest of them. Release all their imprisoned cadres, take back all cases filed against them, put all their soldiers into cantonments, and invite them to participate in a fully PR election.

February 2008: Deadline for new parties to register.

April 2008: Referendum on the monarchy. Country becomes republic. Ram Raja Prasad Singh, first president of Nepal.

May 2008: Dissolve the interim parliament.

June 2008: Fully PR election to a constituent assembly, 300 strong. Every third name on a party's list must be female. Other than that there are no rules.

Madhav Nepal Needs To Make A Move
Prachanda, Madhav, Devendra
Madhav Nepal
Madhav Nepal Out In Open
Interim President: Madhav Nepal
Phone Talk With Madhav Nepal, Hridayesh Tripathy
Maoist, Moriarty, Madhav, Manmohan: Get Behind The 3 Point Program
Madhav Nepal, Commander Of The Movement
Email From Madhav Kumar Nepal

In The News

UML to press for new CA polls date; leaders seek PM’s resignation Kantipur the other parties were not even prepared to express commitment to hold the CA elections within the current Nepali year (mid-April 2008). ....... At least 20 UML central committee members speaking at today’s meeting demanded resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for failing to hold the CA polls as scheduled.
Maoists to step up pressure campaign, political consultation Mahara clarified that the Maoists will not rejoin the government until their demands are met or a “new political equation” is formed. ...... the meeting has concluded that the party should focus towards utilizing the existing majority of the leftist parties in the House to fulfill the demands. Seven out of 11 parties in the House are leftists.
House session likely to be stormy General Secretary of the Nepali Congress Ram Baran Yadav said that his party was completely against the full proportional electoral system as complete democratic practices is not feasible during the prevailing fluid political situation. ......... "Nepali Congress is not ready to accept the full proportional electoral system that is only suited to the single-party communist regime." ...... Rastriya Janshakti Party Co-Chairman Prakash Chandra Lohani .... went on to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as he could not hold the elections this November as well.
Terai remains partially paralysed; police escort vehicles
UN Secy Gen voices disappointment
Britain deeply disappointed over CA polls postponement
Transport entrepreneurs stage banda against banda
Carter Center expresses disappointment
Curfew relaxed for 2 hours in Biratnagar
UML, Maoist central meets begin
April Uprising victims express disappointment over polls postponement
दलहरू आफैं असन्तुष्ट एमालेले निर्धारित समयमा चुनाव नहुनुको प्रमुख दोषी प्रधानमन्त्री कोइराला भएकाले नैतिकताका आधारमा राजीनामा दिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ । ..... सद्भावना -आनन्दीदेवी) ले निर्वाचन प्रणालीलगायत विमति भएका विषयमा तत्काल सहमति जुर्टाई एकताबद्घ रूपमा तुरुन्त संविधानसभा निर्वाचन तिथि घोषणा गर्नुपर्ने जनाएको छ । सद्भावनाका महासचिव श्यामसुन्दर गुप्ताद्वारा शुक्रबार जारी विज्ञप्तिमा संविधानसभा निर्वाचनको सबैभन्दा बढी आवश्यकता मधेसी समुदाय, आदिवासी, जनजाति, दलित र महिलाहरूलाई रहेको समेत उल्लेख छ ।
स्थगनको देशभर विरोध
ँदलहरूका नेता नै दोषी’ नेतृत्व परिवर्तन, जनमतसंग्रहमार्फ राजतन्त्र फैसला र बृहत् राष्ट्रिय सम्मेलनबाट दलहरूबीच एकताका नया“ आधार पहिल्याउन आग्रह .......... गगन थापा.... पार्टर्ीीमा नेतृत्व परिवर्तन, जनमतसंग्रहद्वारा राजतन्त्रको फैसला, संसद् विघटन, बृहत् राष्ट्रिय सम्मेलन, उत्पीडित/आन्दोलित समुदायका माग सम्बोधन गर्दै संविधानसभा गर्ने प्रतिबद्धता त्यसका नया“ आधार हुन सक्छन् । युवा पुस्तालाई नेतृत्व दिनर्ुपर्छ । ...... नया“ समझदारी निर्माण गर्दा यो सरकार, पार्टर्ीीेतृत्व र संसदै नरहन पनि सक्छ । ........ ठिाकुर गैरे .... प्रधानमन्त्री, मन्त्री र सांसदहरूले पदमा बस्नुको औचित्य गुमाए । ........ प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाले नेतृत्वको विकल्प दिनर्ुपर्छ । ......... रिामकुमारी झा“क्री ..... समानुपातिक र संसद्बाट गणतन्त्र घोषणा मानिदिएको भए कांग्रेसको के जान्थ्यो ......... रिाजेश झा ...... सारेर नराम्रो भएन । संविधानसभा निर्वाचन मधेसी र उत्पीडित समुदायका माग सम्बोधन नगरीकनै हुन आ“टेको थियो । ....... मधेसी आन्दोलनले उब्जाएका प्रश्नहरू सम्बोधन गर्दै चुनावमा जानर्ुपर्छ । .... र्सार्थक संविधानसभा हाम्रो आवश्यकता हो । अहिलेको सरकार र पार्टर्ीी नेतृत्व परिवर्तन भएपछि मात्र यो सम्भव छ । युवाहरूले नेतृत्व लिनर्ुपर्छ । ....... भिmकेन्द्र र्घर्तीमगर ...... संविधानसभामा सहमतिका लागि आदिवासी जनजाति महासंघले पर्ूण्ा समानुपातिक निर्वाचन त्याग्यो । ..... महासंघ र सरकारबीचको सम्झौता पनि अब सकिएको छ । हामी पुनः पर्ूण्ा समानुपातिकको माग अघि सार्नेछौं ।

Maoists to renew dialogue with parties for republic NepalNews
MJF says it will not to abide by 22-pt pact anymore; announces fresh stir Accusing the government of failing to maintain rule of law and communal harmony, Yadav demanded that the existing government be dissolved to give way for an all-party ‘election government’, which will also include civil society representatives. He also reiterated the MJF demand for immediate dissolution of the interim parliament. ........ With the demands for a new government and proportional representation-based election system, the MJF has announced "peaceful protests" in several districts across the country on Oct 10.
King’s cavalry now under army chief’s control
Curfew imposed in Biratnagar as the clash between the police and the activists of the Madheji Janadhikar Forum led by Kishor Kumar Biswas continued till late evening. ...... The split faction of the MJF had announced indefinite strike in the eastern Terai since three days demanding immediate announcement of republic and guarantee of the autonomous Terai state before the constituent assembly elections are held.
Special House session may be marred by indecision beginning October 11 ..... proportional system and announcement of republic will pave the way for meaningful election to constituent assembly. ..... Ram Chandra Poudel has hinted that the NC is unlikely go for announcement of republic and proportional election. ...... the CPN (UML), another key ally of the seven-party alliance, has not made clear its position over the Maoist demands.
India says repeated postponement of polls erodes credibility of democratic transition
EC cancels election programmes
Parties blame each other after polls suspension
UML stages protest against polls suspension
PM summons special parliament session on Oct 11
US, EU disappointed at suspension of polls
Curfew imposed in Saptari; bandh cripples life in East
Parties do the unthinkable; November election suspended
Apex Court says it cannot interfere in poll process
JTMM-J murders youth in Sarlahi
Seven Party meeting ends inconclusively, parties start whispering about putting off polls
Maoist trade union signs deal with Kantipur management
Army enters NTV and Radio Nepal stations; media groups concerned
11 Nepali student monks return from Myanmar
Rebat Dahal wins NRN International Marathon; Army sweeps all prizes

Nepal Army recalls soldiers from royal palace Koirala, who also holds the defence portfolio, has recalled 500 military personnel stationed at the Narayanhity royal palace to the army headquarters. ...... the palace, which has over 3,000 soldiers to provide security to the royal family.