King’s fate splits Nepal rulers Hindustan Times, India THE SEVEN Party Alliance (SPA), which led the struggle for democracy in Nepal, has divergent views on the monarchy’s future — with the communist partners striving for a republic and Prime Minister G.P. Koirala envisaging a "ceremonial role" for the king....... Insisting that he was not a republican, Koirala on Wednesday said Gyanendra could be a ceremonial king like the British queen. At a meeting with a delegation of the South Asian Free Media Association, Koirala asked: "What is the harm if he stays as Lord Pashupati?" ....... Forever a centrist, Koirala defined the ceremonial monarchy-multi-party democracy combination as "borderline" to the republican system. "I've nothing to say if the people want to cross that," he said. "I'm expected to lead rather than being led by popular opinion."Girija Koirala has spoken his mind. It is typical Girija. He did not hold a central committee meeting on the topic. He just spoke. Considering his party is officially neutral on the question of the monarchy, it is fundamentally undemocratic of him to unilaterally make policy on his party's behalf, especially on so fundamental an issue. He should have called a party convention on the issue, or at least a central committee meeting. But then that has been the Girija style.
He is one of the hero figures of the democracy movement over five decades, but he has failed every time as Prime Minister in the 1990s. That is his sad record.
The stink he raised with the UML while shaping his cabinet is typical Girija. He suffers from the illusion that his party will still bag a majority. It does not matter that the Congress is vertically split. It does not matter that the Maoists are going to emerge a rather large party in the next parliament. It is a mindset thing. He is stuck with it.
Not only this, I think he is also going to take a stand against federalism. And that is when all the Congressis in the Terai are going to have to abandon his party en masse.
And I also predict the Congress to go along to get along with him. It is called groupthink.
A democratic party can take whatever stand it wants to take. One only hopes the party takes those stances thorugh a democratic process. If the Nepali Congress central committee were to take the same stand through majority vote, that is one thing. But Girija's monologue is in a league of its own.
The monarchy has to end because that would be good for the personal happiness of Gyanendra Shaha. It is not possible to imagine a double digit economic growth rate for Nepal without ending the monarchy. That is why the monarchy has to end.
But if the Congress goes against a republic, it will have to face a coalition of republican forces during the constituent assembly elections.
At this rate I think the UML will emerge a much larger party than it already is. To not go for a democratic republic is to not feel the pulse of the times, the pulse of the April Revolution. The Congress has put itself at a disadvantage.
Now it is for the Gagan Thapas of the world to decide if they still want to campaign for a non-republican Congress, or they want to float a new party. Bill Gates was 19 when he floated Microsoft. He could have got himself a job with IBM which was the largest computer company at the time. But he knew better. If you want to bring something new into the market, it is best to start afresh.
One Central Committee Member For Every Million Nepali
The April Revolution Asks For A New Political Party
An Open Letter To Gagan Thapa
The Koirala Congress is an ageing, stale party. It is bereft of new ideas.
The King Already Started His Campaign
The Maoists were the first to start their campaign for the constituent assembly elections. As soon as the royal regime was toppled, the Maoists organized mass meetings across the country.
The king was second. He went to Dakshin Kali and sacrificed a few goats. Then he called in some sadhu from Dang, helicoptered. The king's strategy is to appeal to the ignorant, superstitious strain. That is how he plans to save the monarchy. I don't think he is in touch with the sentiment of the April Revolution.
After animal sacrifices, Nepal King now turns to 'god-woman'
Chitraleka Yadav: Litmus Test
Chitralekha Yadav: Speaker
She is a litmus test for the DaMaJaMa crowd. If the big parties can not agree on her name for Speaker now, we will have reason to doubt their commitment to the cause of social justice in the run up to the constituent assembly elections.
Govt. likely to announce talks team, differences erupt for the post of Speaker NepalNews
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Say "No, Thank you" to Donors
Nepal releases two top Maoist leaders Times of India, India
NEPAL: Conflict areas benefit from ceasefire Reuters AlertNet, UK
What next in Nepal? Aljazeera.net, Qatar
Maoists loot items from King-appointed district chief's house
Nepal to probe abuses by security forces
Nepal seeking support from donors for reconstruction: official People's Daily Online, China
Nepal's new govt clears out all the king's men Financial Express.bd, Bangladesh
Sherchan calls for polls to constituent assembly
Interview with Ashok Sharma Kantipur Publications
Royalists and republicans
India likely to extend direct budgetary assistance
Stop extortions: Home Minister tells Maoists
Maoist leaders Yadav, Magar released
SPA meeting fails to name Speaker; govt talks team 'soon'
New CDOs appointed in valley
Parliamentarians accuse Maoists of intensifying extortion
House to probe Nagarkot, Belbari killings
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माओवादीद्वारा वार्ता टोली गठन
कफ्र्यु हट्यो
ँसंविधानसभा निःसर्त’
संसद् विघटनको प्रस्ताव अनुचित’
सुरक्षाकर्मीसँग अन्तक्रिर्या
ँसमानुपातिक सहभागितामा संविधानसभा’
'सम्पूर्ण राजबन्दी रिहा गर'
'जंगल र्फकदैनौं'
युद्धविरामपछि उत्साह
विद्यार्थी पुनर्वहाली
कोषमा थप सहयोग
मन्त्रिपरिषद् पुरानै ढर्रामा
महिलालाई सेनाको धम्की
जनआन्दोलनका विरोधीलाई सामाजिक दण्ड
माओवादीको खुलासभा
कब्जामा सीडीओसित भेट
पुनःस्थापित संसद् र चरित्र
सेनाप्रतिको अवधारणा
बहुसांस्कृतिक लोकतन्त्रात्मक गणतन्त्र
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