CPN Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
With the formation of the government under the leadership of CPN Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the people in general have cautiously been watching that how can Prachanda be to settle the existing constitutional as well as political impasse of the country. Though about one week period would not be sufficient to comment, it is likely that Dahal’s repeatedly made commitment to amend the constitution to address the grievances of the agitating Federal Alliance (FA), would not be materialized due to hindrance from the UML. The UML has already made clear that it would not allow amending the constitution to change in the proposed federal structures though it was the prime demand of the agitating Madhes based parties. The recent impediment emerged ahead of Prime Minister Dahal is amendment of constitution, which is not possible without two third majority to which UML support is indispensible. However, there are many things that have to be done to prove his second inning as the Prime Minister. The remaining another challenge is holding of local body elections, which is also entirely interrelated with the amendment of the constitution and consensus among the parties. The challenges of Dahal are also the opportunity to prove himself the second inning as the Prime minister before handing over the reins to the Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba within March 2017 as per the power-sharing deal, in order to hold national and provincial elections.
Prime Minister Dahal has to do many things within the limited period, though the people do not seem optimistic with the second inning of Dahal as of 2008, when he had elected as the first Prime Minister after holding of the historic election for the Constituent Assembly (CA) doubled legislative parliament. Prime Minister Dahal and his party would have also realized that the public confidence is much reduced now as the Maoist party and its leaders not only failed in the delicate task of completing the peace process but also made complicated in some extend. The lost faith is now hanged with the implementation of the new Constitution by holding elections and taking the agitating and opposition parties into confidence. As Dahal elected as the Prime Minister replacing CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli with backing from the Nepali Congress, Madhesh-based parties and other fringe parties, Dahal has to do much more things not only inside but also outside of Nepal too. The souring relationship with neighboring India also needs to be mentioned with equal balance of power even with the northern neighbor China.
If Dahal wants to be successful in his second innings, we have already mentioned that he needs to learn from his past mistakes. As his rein is made at a time when Nepal is facing serious internal and external challenges, he needs to prepare a clear political roadmap to succeed. While preparing such a roadmap, he should make a note of past mistakes that had committed during last tenure. Where he realizes or not, attempt to sack out then Nepal army chief Rukmangad Katawal from the post, not making then Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala the president and failure to realize that his party had no political experience in running the country were the prime mistakes, which had forced him to resign within nine months. As some demands raised by the FA, which would never be fulfilled, were provoked by the Maoist in the past, need to be settled internally before entering in the process of other demands raised by the disgruntle forces that would be settled through the amendment in the constitution. The economic loss caused due to the devastating earthquake, months long strikes in Madhes and the unofficial blockade of India also needs to be incurred during his tenure.
