KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) leader and former minister Min Bahadur Bishwakarma has said that Arzu Rana Deuba was an emerging leader and her potential to be the prime minister could not be ruled out.
Speaking at an interaction organized by Reporters Club Nepal in Kathmandu Friday, he said, “Dr. Arzu is an emerging leader. She definitely has the potential to become the prime minister,” he said.
He, however, said discussion on such matters has not taken place as of now
Bishwakarma was speaking in relation to CPN-Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’s meeting with the NC Central Committee member Rana Deuba in New Delhi recently.
He agreed that both Prachanda and Rana Deuba were strong prime ministerial contenders in Nepali politics.
He also reminded that the two leaders were in Delhi for different reasons, saying Prachanda was in Delhi for a political meeting and Rana Deuba for treatment.
“Since both of them were there, they met and exchanged good health wishes.”
“Of late, it has been rumored that Prachanda and Rana Deuba have agreed to lead the government, which is not true. Rana Deuba was in Delhi. Prachanda had gone on a visit to India. While he was there, he went to meet Rana Deuba.”
He also said the current situation does not allow a certain party to recommend a certain leader as the prime ministerial candidate in the elections.
He said, “Currently, we have decided to move forward the ruling alliance and at such a time, there is no situation to propose such and such a leader of such and such a party as the prime minister’s candidate.”
Dr. Arzu has been elected as the Central Committee member of NC in December 2021.
Rana Deuba has also been a member of the NC Party convention and Central Leadership Voting Committee since 2000.
She was also a member of the Constituent Assembly and Parliament of Nepal from 2008 to 2017.
Besides being active in politics, she has been pursuing issues such as women’s rights, reproductive rights, equal citizenship rights, equal property rights, violence against women, and women’s equitable and equal political representation at all levels.
He said, “The leadership of the government is determined by the number of seats the parties secure in the House of Representatives and their vote share. On the question of leadership, there will be a discussion between the parties at the next stage.”
He commented that UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi had expressed displeasure towards the ruling party and the alliance. He said, “Rayamajhi also has a problem. Coming from the Maoist camp, he is now doing politics and promoting the Sun sign of the CPN-UML. This coalition government was not formed for nothing. This alliance was formed because of people like Rayamajhi.”
He rued that although the people have changed the system of the country by protesting many times, the situation of the country and the people has not changed at all.
He said, “Now we have to work to change the situation: our competition is concerning working styles. Definitely, all parties have the same goal: competition is for peace, prosperity and development. It is up to us to choose the working style: whether to take up a dictatorship or a democratic style. The upliftment of the poor should be the first priority within the socialist economic system. What the NC put forward in 2007, we took up the same in 2015. Our mainstay is the same ever since.”
He mentioned that the current five-party alliance is a necessity of national politics at present. He expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s achievement despite the NC performing better than in the 2017 local elections.
He clarified that Prime Minister Deuba did not visit the US due to a busy schedule. Similarly, he clarified that there was unnecessary opposition and criticism about the citizenship act.
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