Discussions started within and outside Nepali Congress (NC) when some of its leaders led by the former general secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung decided not to join the meeting organized by senior NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba as to whether this group is the third pole in NC. If so, what is the program?. This group is neither the third pole nor wants to stand as a group within the party. The decision was made when differences were widening between the party president Sushil Koirala and senior leader Deuba. Whatever has been said by the leaders of both the groups, it is really a power struggle between the two leaders . Party president Sushil Koirala has the ego of having the majority in the NC CWC, whereas Deuba is fighting for his and his group’s existence. This struggle between the two leaders has not only hurt the party, but also has had a bad impact on national politics as a whole.

This power struggle not only weakens NC, but also make us forget the ideology promulgated by late B.P. Koirala, the founder leader of NC. Now, NC has been criticized by its own workers for deviating from the principle of National Reconciliation, which is the motto of the party. B.P. Koirala always gave priority to principle rather than power.

For that reason, he never compromised his ideology. He only became the prime minister for 18 months, but is always remembered by the Nepalese people for his faith on democracy, socialism and nationalism. After his imprisonment for 8 years, and exile in India for 8 years, he came to the conclusion that National Reconciliation is the only way to solve the problem of the country.

He also realized that if we take any decision about the country outside Nepal, the result will not be in our favor. That is why B. P. Koirala, despite having cases of life imprisonment for himself, returned to Nepal on Poush 16, 2033, with a slogan of National Reconciliation, which means all democrats and nationalists should be united to save the country, and only in a democracy will all these forces be united.

According to him, without National Reconciliation no political solution can be achieved in Nepal. At that time, Nepal’s sovereignty was in peril. No power centre, no person outside NC realized the importance of his philosophy while he lived. After his death, NC also forgot the principle of Nation Reconciliation. The present political scenario of the country is the result of that.

Unless NC follows the principle propounded by B. P. Koirala, it cannot play a major role in Nepalese politics. The present condition of NC is the result of giving priority to power than to the principle. The first deviation of the principle is the signing of the 12-point agreement in Delhi by NC supremo Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

B.P. Koirala, with 8 cases of life imprisonment during his exile in India, returned to Nepal saying that all the decisions about the political solution of the country should be made in the country. Though he could be hanged by the then government, he returned to Nepal in spite of political pressure to stay in India . On the contrary, G. P. Koirala went to Delhi to sign the 12-point agreement with the Maoists. The process of the agreement was totally contrary to the principle of National Reconciliation. The present political condition of Nepal is the result of that decision.

Secondly, B. P. Koirala never allowed NC workers to shake hands with those in power or persons who were neither democrats nor nationalists. Identity is most important to political parties. Now, we forget all the lessons. NC has lost its identity. People are finding it difficult to find the identity of NC. They say NC seems similar to the Maoists or UML. The wrongdoings not only by NC but also by others have resulted in the whole political process of the country being derailed.

The Constituent Assembly (CA) not being a NC product, has become unable to give a political solution. Now, NC can neither say they are against federalism nor give any concrete model of federalism. The meeting of the NC workers in the eastern region suggests 7 states to be appropriate for Nepal, whereas senior leader Deuba has opined 75 states are appropriate. What will the people understand?.

The confusion is because of leaving the ideology and giving priority to power. NC has to regain its previous position. Neither the Sushil group nor Deuba group can now achieve it. So, some NC leaders and workers led by K.B. Gurung, who was not only in prison and in exile with B.P. Koirala, but also was sent to Nepal from exile. K. B. Gurung was almost hanged by the then government.

Because of the political change in the country, he is alive now. Thus, tested and senior NC leaders in the NC decided to launch a movement to enable NC to play a prominent role in Nepalese politics by establishing the principle of National Reconciliation.

This is a crucial time for us when the CA is not providing any solution for the country. So, this movement will regain NC’s strength and enable it to play a major role in favour of democracy and nationalism, and save the country. So, these leaders happen to be the mainstream in NC, and not the third pole.

Joshi is a former Joint General Secretary of NC
Published in Himalaya times
Date: 2012-03-13 10:53 PM