KATHMANDU: CPN-UML, the main opposition party, which has made several attempts to break the ruling coalition, has so far seems standing alone.

As the coalition has decided to proceed as one, UML has concluded that it will proceed alone in the elections. The UML has tried to lure the leaders and cadres of the CPN-Unified Socialist, and JSP to make it stronger.

In this situation, Khabarhub’s Dhiraj Basnet approached UML leader Lal Babu Pandit to discuss UML’s strategies for the forthcoming elections. Excerpts:

How is UML preparing for the elections?

We have organized training and workshops for the cadres and have been sensitizing them to ensure the elections are held on time.

Currently, various political parties are organizing programs at the province level. After some time, we start the local level programs related to the selection of candidates for the forthcoming elections.

As the five-party coalition moved forward as one, you are left to contest alone. What will you do now?

We are not looking for an alliance. We believe in the support and trust of the people. We contested alone in the local elections. There will be no new alliance while there is already a coalition. However, there may be synergy with political parties like UML.

In multi-party competition, the weaker and fringe parties form a coalition as they do not dare to contest alone whereas UML dares to contest alone.

There is nothing to say against the Nepali Congress party. We come to the election contest. It seems that every party is looking for support because they cannot contest single against UML.

We believe in the public support, the ruling coalition has to recite Hanuman Chalisa, i.e. chanting to please Hanuman, to please the power centers and get their invisible power for victory.

You did the same in 2017, now you call it Hanuman Chalisa as the power center seems to favor them. How rationale is it to blame others for the things that your party entertained before?

We had not formed the in 2017 election. We had not sacrificed the ideology for the sake of a few votes. We had an understanding.

Later it did not work well. We contested taking our agenda ahead. The parties who said that UML should be searched with torchlight have now formed a coalition to contest against UML; they did not dare to contest alone considering the popularity of UML.

Whatever comes and even if all the other parties of Nepal join this coalition, it will not make any difference to UML.

Earlier, there had been a 33-parties coalition and later when the government scrapped it, no one said it was needed. It is the weak party that needs a coalition, the strong dares to contest alone. UML will go to the elections alone.

What agenda will CPN-UML go to the elections with?

CPN-UML carries a development agenda, prosperity agenda, and nationalist agenda. We will work in the interest of the people and try to materialize the campaign ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali”.

We fully expose the fact related to MCC, SPP, and the conspiracy against the UML government for introducing the newly revised map of Nepal.

After Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba came to power, he got the revised new map with the Lipulekh and Kalapani in it removed from the Nepali Embassy in India. It was removed when NC President Deuba went on an India visit.

Is CPN-UML trying to stand in favor of the Hindu state?

UML is in favor of the constitution. Now there will be no other Constitution, the Constitution will not be changed. Maybe in the future, that is another matter, but Hinduism should not be insulted.

UML is ready to protect the constitution. UML does not believe that there should be only one religion. When KP Oli was the Prime Minister, we advocated that there is Ayodhya in Nepal and due process was taken ahead to the reconstruction of the Ayodhya. The state is governed by the law and the constitution, not by religion.

Do you think that this parliament is ready to finalize the impeachment proposal against suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana?

The proposal for impeachment was registered without any consultation with UML. A two-thirds majority is required for the motions like impeachment. The largest party in the House of Representatives, UML was not consulted about the motion.

After the indictment was registered, UML sent 4 of its members to that investigation and recommendation committee when allegations were made against UML that it favored CJ Rana. The motion got deterred unduly for five months. The coalition is not sincere about such serious motions.

Such issues should not be taken ahead after announcing the election. If it is done in time, it will be taken ahead. However, the UML will not just blindly follow the coalition and do whatever the coalition wants us to do.

Will UML vote for the impeachment motion against suspended CJ Rana, or it will stand on CJ Rana’s side when there will be voting on it in the parliament?

CPN-UML is not in favor of supporting any motion blindly just because a certain party put it forward. It has its mechanism to discuss and form an opinion on it. By the time the voting procedure starts, our decision will be before the public.