Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Nepal’s new PM Deuba walks a tightrope

  

   Deuba and his ally Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda had entered into a three-point deal separately with the RJPN and the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal to win their support for his election to the post of PM. The accord promises to amend the statute but ironically does not include a provision to oblige the RJPN to join the election. Deuba had said that the amendment was unlikely before the election.


  The government has also changed the electoral laws to facilitate the RJPN to register with the Election Commission. As the Madhesi force changed its tack against the election, the ruling parties have been left confounded. Many believe that the RJPN gave the ruling alliance the runaround as per a geopolitically motivated move to aggravate the transitional politics of Nepal.

   The NC-Maoist Centre alliance came to power by replacing the KP Sharma Oli-led alliance with a sole objective of bringing the agitating parties on board the election. Maoist Centre Chair and former PM Prachanda passed the baton to Deuba as per their previous agreement.

   While taking premiership for the fourth time in two decades, Deuba faces formidable challenges. He is saddled with holding the three-tier election – the remaining local election, and provincial and federal elections – within January of 2018, which holds the key to implementing the new constitution.

  However, Deuba has another foremost task which is to rebuild his image tainted by several scandals committed by his governments in the past. He has been accused of serious anomalies which erode the sanctity of parliamentary democracy. He was blamed even by his party for handing over “democracy” to the erstwhile king amidst the deepening crisis fueled by the ruthless Maoist violence. He was later sacked by the king, terming him “incompetent.”

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