KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba seems to be betrayed once again by one of his “reliable” partners in the ruling coalition – the Maoist Center, and its supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”. Therefore, the Deuba-led government’s future looks in doubt.
Perhaps, for PM Deuba, Maoist Center’s decision to quit the government, and vote against the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact came as a jolt.
PM Deuba, as always, trusted his ruling partner Prachanda. He trusted the “fierce one” for months and months.
But, the Maoist shook the “strong foundation of trust” between the two political parties – one Democratic (NC) and the other one Communist (Maoist) – causing a major crisis in government after the latter announced to quit if the government tabled the MCC Compact in the parliament without a consensus or consent of the ruling partners.
Some NC lawmakers bewailed, while some grumbled simply because they realized that they were standing on the wrong pavilion.
Despite the mounting political tension (on the issue of MCC), PM Deuba and Prachanda then held crucial “one-on-one” talks at Baluwatar and pretended to steer their way to calmer waters deciding to hold an all-party meeting on Thursday to “forge a consensus” on the issue.
For now, the immediate test for these two top leaders is how they can get through this challenge as failing to ratify an agreement that has already been signed could raise a serious question about Nepal’s credibility at the international level.
This shows that Prime Minister Deuba is using carrot and stick to convince the ruling partners to ratify the Compact.
However, the lower echelon of both the parties has been increasingly at odds on ratifying the MCC Compact from the Parliament even trading personal barbs raising doubts that the coalition might collapse after less than a year in government.
To mean it, the sniping between NC and the Maoist reached a new level of intensity on Wednesday.
Prachanda, during the “one-on-one” meeting with PM Deuba, gave a clear message saying he was in trouble and dilemma because he was constantly under pressure from his party leaders and cadres.
Let me put up a question: Is Prachanda under pressure only from the party, or is he under pressure from some other side as well as alleged?
Perhaps, PM Deuba did or did not dare to remind Prachanda about the letter that they (Deuba and Prachanda) wrote to the United States expressing the commitment to ratify the MCC by forging political consensus.
Prachanda and PM Deuba have been meeting and telephoning leaders of the ruling coalition, and even trying to convince KP Oli, Chairman of the main opposition, CPN-UML.
Interestingly, while the Left parties in the ruling coalition have announced that they would use all options to block MCC from getting it endorsed, Oli has mysteriously remained silent.
While both Prachanda and Nepal have been insisting on making amendments in the agreement before ratification, the United States might not agree to it as the US officials have reminded Nepali leaders to “either accept it or reject”.
It is for sure that the United States, which is disappointed for politically weaponizing the agreement, will be further disappointed if Nepal’s parliament failed to ratify it.
Despite being in the government, the Maoist Center and the Unified Socialist led by Madhav Kumar Nepal on Wednesday joined other fringe Left parties and took to the streets against MCC exposing their double-standard role.
The two parties also expressed dissent in the Business Advisory Committee convened by Speaker Agni Sapkota against the government’s move to table the Compact in the Parliament for discussion and ratification because of which it could not be tabled.
Interestingly, Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha actively took part in the street protest against MCC in New Baneshwor.
Now, what is PM Deuba going to do? Is he again going to appease Prachanda and urge him to jointly write another letter to the US seeking an extension of the ratification deadline?
Or, is PM Deuba okay with the decision of the Maoists to quit the government? Perhaps, he would opt for the first one as he has been accustomed to falling prey to Prachanda’s gambit!
This time Prachanda has dragged the international community into controversy saying that he has been gradually being isolated by them.
For now, the immediate test for these two top leaders is how they can get through this challenge as failing to ratify an agreement that has already been signed could raise a serious question about Nepal’s credibility at the international level.
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