At a time when speculations are rife about the change of government leadership, Khabarhub’s Editor-in-Chief Jibaram Bhandari and Editor Ishwar Dev Khanal caught up Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav to get his opinion on the government’s performance, among other burning issues. Excerpts:

Despite the government’s assurances, people have not been able to feel and experience the change. How do you analyze the current situation?

I won’t deny the fact that people had high expectations from this government. What should also not be forgotten is that the three-tier governments have started to function. This means the constitution has been implemented. People still expect changes, both in the constitution as well as in their day-to-day lives. Besides, political stability, people want to see the economic transformation. Therefore, the government’s major tasks should be to creating an investment-friendly environment, minimizing corruption, ending sluggish bureaucratic attitude, ensuring good governance, maintaining law and order, among others.

Is the government working towards that end?

To be precise, people are yet to feel that sense of improvement. However, I want to reiterate that the government must focus on people’s aspirations. However, the working style is still based on traditional, unitary and centralized mentality. It will take some time to get accustomed to the new system.

Why, despite having a two-thirds majority, is the government not able to deliver?

Most importantly, it is the old mindset, behavior and the working attitude of the leadership and bureaucracy. Unless and until you do not change your mentality, you cannot deliver. Unfortunately, the government has not been able to deliver much.

Is it that you, as a Deputy Prime Minister, too, are not satisfied with the government’s performance?

It’s not about being satisfied or not. In totality, the government has not been able to perform as per the people’s expectations.

The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal has pulled out its support to the government. Will your party follow-suit?

The case surrounding the Kailali incident and Resham Chaudhary’s involvement was basically a political issue, not legal. It would have been better had the government taken a political decision to settle the issue. Trying to settle political issues through non-political means will invite unfortunate circumstances. This will only flare up the problem.

There are speculations that your party Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal will pull out of the government. How far is it true?

In fact, we had earlier agreed to make amendments in the constitution, which was promulgated without thorough discussions in the Constituent Assembly. There are anomalies in the constitution, which need to be corrected. Secondly, addressing the national issues, and economic prosperity and corruption control are other priorities. Now that as soon as the party reaches to the conclusion that the government will not address these issues, there will be no looking back. We will be bound to create our own path.

It’s been one year that you have been in the government. For how long will your party will be a part of the government?

It’s not a matter of sticking. The issue is that we are waiting for the situation to be matured.

You joined the government with the assurance of constitutional amendments. There have been speculations that the leadership in the government will change. How far is it true? 

As I said earlier, this is the effect of the traditional mentality. It will take some time to be accustomed to the newly established agendas and to translate them into action. Regarding the change of leadership in the government, it should be based on principles, policies, and programs. Merely change of the prime minister will be meaningless since most of the senior leaders have already been tested.