Nepali Congress has no right to Exist?

Niraj Aryal, Kathmandu: It all depends on the NC leadership now to prove the statement wrong. I sincerely hope they would prove me wrong. The question is not whether the NC has right to exist but who will wipeout whom from Nepal’s political circuit? Will the Nepali Congress prevail over the Maoists or it would be just the otherwise? The debate has already begun.

After sidelining monarchy, are the Maoists going for the annihilation of Nepal’s oldest yet jumbled and the namesake democratic party--- the Nepali Congress? This is the question.

For the Maoists’ sake and the sake of some smaller yet democratic minded parties it is better they join hands and sideline the NC. But, it won’t be that easy---not because the NC is liked by many in Nepal-except those who have exploited it for their personal benefits, but it is going to be difficult considering their support from outside of the country.

The difficult question is on what basis should people support the Nepali Congress or their friends outside they are advised to look for an alternative force mainly because:

• They don’t have visionary leaders?
• Their leaders are never united over foreign policy matters more so on preservation of Nepal’s prime interests?
• The NC leaders never discuss Nepal’s Security concerns.
• NC leaders are never serious about the security concerns of immediate neighbors.
• What is their official version on issues of National Interest? Sugauli Treaty, 1950 Treaty, border encroachment and others.
• They were never clear about the Fate of Monarchy.
• Now with Monarchy sidelined what is their overall vision for institutionalizing Federal Democratic Republican order?
• Do they have clear cut agenda on Federalism?
• How many federal states do the country needs?
• What should be the basis of Federal division?
• Have they forwarded their idea for federal division except criticizing the Maoists’ vision of ethnic division? 

No…No…No….NO! The response is all negative. Unfortunately…!

Thus the people cannot take the additional burden of the party that is losing its way and is proving that it has become a useless party that deserved a place in the dustbin. I sincerely hope they would prove me wrong.

While their cadres are being thrashed by the Maoists extra-energetic youths at the grassroots, their leaders continue to be swayed away by lucrative proposals being forwarded by the Maoists’ leadership in Kathmandu. This is not the sign of a thriving party. Is it?

Perhaps it is only Khum Bahadur Khadka in the Nepali Congress camp who knows why the present day NC has no right to exist?

The Maoists are however, clear over what they want. They want now to send the NC to oblivion a la Nepali Monarchy.

When Babu Ram Bhattarai just the other day said that their prime agenda were to send the monarchy to packing and also to see an end of the prevailing democratic norms and principles, he was perhaps hinting that the NC was the main obstacle for the establishment of their own model of democracy a la King Mahendra’s model of Panchayati Democracy.

A formidable democratic force can however replace the NC. Thus the unity between the RPP led by Pashupati Rana and RJP led by Surya Bahadur Thapa possess to be even larger threat to the existence of the NC in Nepali politics. This unity is being watched carefully abroad.

However, NC and their real masters seated outside of the country have difficult task in their hand. Take it for granted, sweeping the Maoists away is going to be very difficult unlike Monarchy. This the people and the Maoists themselves know very well.

By and large, the Nepali Congress is the prime target of the Maoists and the ex-panches-who want at any cost replace it as the only democratic force in the country.

Posted on : 2010-02-03 08:19:03

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