EXCERPTS
Myrepublica.com: The extended deadline given by the president has expired. Talks have failed. Do you see possibility of forging any consensus?
KP Sharma Oli: I don’t see such a possibility because talks are not being held with that objective and gravity. Any talks where the negotiators present themselves as prime ministerial candidates and they have their own vested interests can’t address the national issues. We can’t expect that from such talks.[break]
Myrepublica.com: Do you mean the talks are bound to fail as they are individual-centric or is it because there are differences on issues?
Oli: Both. First, there are differences in the objectives and second it is because the talks are self-centric. UCPN (Maoist) is clear about its goal on capturing state power. It started protest against the government from day one. The protest was not against any particular cause or activity. Maoists would have protested even if some other leader besides Madhav Kumar Nepal was heading the government. It had no connection at all with constitution-writing and peace process. Maoist’s definition of national consensus is to make other parties ready to accept whatever they say. Forming national consensus government under Maoist leadership is to be ready to do whatever the Maoists say. Maoists don’t want consensus. They want to impose their ideas on others. They think that it can be easier to capture all the state powers once they are in government. But many people are confused. They keep on saying that differences among the political parties have hindered constitution-writing and peace process, which is not true. The Maoists are solely responsible for it.
Myrepublica.com: If you don’t see any possibility of consensus government, will there be a majority government in place shortly? Or are there chances that the life of the present caretaker government would be prolonged?
Oli: The Maoists and some others kept on demanding the prime minister’s resignation in the name of national consensus. They did so for their vested interests. Those who demanded the prime minister’s resignation never thought about the fate of the peace process. They never pondered about constitution-writing. They were guided by their interests but forced others to sacrifice in the name of national consensus. They claimed that once the prime minister stepped down, everything under the sun would be settled overnight. They wanted to bag the prime ministerial post. All those who insisted on the prime minister’s resignation had either wanted to be prime minister or wanted to see a new face in the post. The issue of national consensus was so much publicized that people were compelled to think that may be there was a chance of consensus once the prime minister stepped down. Those so-called intellectuals wrote so many articles. It might have helped them in terms of their livelihoods. In fact, they did nothing but made wastage of newspapers and confused the readers with a load of crap. They showed their intellectual bankruptcy. I want to ask those leaders, intellectuals and scholars who claimed that a national consensus government would be in place immediately after the prime minister’s resignation as to why that has not happened. I want to challenge them to prove it. On what ground did they claim that? Was it just a fanciful analysis? Or was there a hidden interest in that?
Myrepublica.com: But some argue that you are also responsible for piling moral pressure on the prime minister because you are the one who agreed to insert the word ‘prime minister’s resignation’ while finalizing the three-point agreement on May 28, something other leaders had refrained from using until the last minute. Also, you reached a gentleman’s agreement with the Maoist leaders that the prime minister would step down within five days.
Oli: That is not the case. The deal signed on May 28 midnight did not bring up the issue of the prime minister’s resignation. The issue was being discussed before the deal was forged.
The agreement clearly specified under what conditions the prime minister would resign.
Myrepublica.com: But you reached a verbal understanding on resigning within five days, didn´t you?
Oli: They [Maoists] agreed to implement the agreements within two days. The prime minister had already announced that he was ready to pave the way for a national consensus government. But it wasn’t unconditional. He said he was ready to resign provided that there was a guarantee of forging a national consensus coalition. The same thing is stated in the agreement.
Myrepublica.com: Did Maoists agree to fulfill the condition within two days?
Oli: Yes. They committed it there while signing the deal and they announced it even in public that they could do the things within two days after the prime minister’s resignation. Secondly, the five-day understanding was not in writing. As per that, they were expected to immediately go for implementation. But they did nothing afterward.
Myrepublica.com: Was it practically possible to implement the conditions in five days even if they were willing?
Oli: We could have understood had they done what it was possible during the given time. They could have proved themselves that they have the willingness to fulfill the commitment. But they have no willingness nor are they sincere.
It was clear that we were going to face this situation. Those who have been blinded by their selfish motives and had been consistently demanding the prime minister’s resignation are responsible for the present situation.
Myrepublica.com: Do you mean the Maoist party hasn’t been sincerely working to forge consensus even after May 28?
Oli: This [Maoist] party has many colors. It never shows its real face to the public. It uses masks all the time, not only when it is involved in criminal activities. Their commitments and understandings are never genuine.
Myrepublica.com: If so, is it that there is no meaning in reaching any agreement with the Maoists?
Oli: I wouldn’t like to say that but Maoists should understand it clearly that we won’t be giving them the benefit of doubt while forging deals with them in the future.
Myrepublica.com: What about the latest proposal put forth by the Maoist party on integration of Maoist combatants and other issues related to peace process and constitution-writing?
Oli: That is another bunch of lies.
Myrepublica.com: Why are Maoists doing it? What do you think?
Oli: The party has an objective to capture state powers. It wants to remain an armed organization keeping its arms and armies intact. It doesn’t want to renounce violence. If anyone speaks out against the idea, they will be labeled as having old mindset.
Myrepublica.com: In such a scenario, how will the next government be formed?
Oli: First of all, all should know that we are dealing with an organization that is ultra-leftist, radical, anarchist and that still resorts to criminal activities. We can’t expect democratic system in the country by handing over the government to anarchists. The country can’t remain without a government just due to the presence of a radical organization. We don’t want to approve the Maoist atrocities. We want to transform them. All our efforts are focused to that end. Despite knowing that, we committed some mistakes in the past and Maoists benefited enough from our blunders. It is due to the same reason that Maoists still believe that they can put others into an illusion. They want to give continuity to the same business for long. But Maoists’ strategy is too old and it is not going to work any longer.
Myrepublica.com: If there is no possibility of forming a national consensus government, is there any chance to form a new majority government from the existing ruling coalition?
Oli: If not this coalition, who do you think will form the government? Radicals can’t head the government. Armed groups can’t be acceptable. Our condition is that we can consider incorporating an armed group in the government only after the force can convince us that it is ready to transform, will lend help in writing the constitution and concluding the peace process. The concerned ones should understand this language very clearly.
Myrepublica.com: Who will lead the new majority government from this coalition?
Oli: I have no interest in making any prediction.
Myrepublica.com: Who should lead the new government: NC or CPN-UML?
Oli: I don’t want to enter into that matter. My concern is to address the national agenda. It was clear that we were going to face this situation. Those who have been blinded by their selfish motives and had been consistently demanding the prime minister’s resignation are responsible for the present situation.
Myrepublica.com: How many days will it take to find a way out of the present deadlock?
Oli: We can’t say anything as of now. One thing is clear that the present coalition is there and it will remain intact. There is a government and that will continue.
Myrepublica.com: There is a school of thought that Maoists may break this coalition by proposing your party chairman Jhalanath Khanal as prime ministerial candidate. What do you think?
Oli: There is no such possibility. Maoists don’t have that sort of authority. They can’t pick and drop a candidate for the prime ministerial post according to their whims and fancies. The parties that allow Maoists to dictate them should declare themselves as chapters of the UCPN (Maoist) party.
Myrepublica.com: What if the Maoist party is ready to accept a UML candidate proposed by the UML itself?
Oli: Yes. That can be acceptable if it is unconditional. Maoists can’t say that they can accept one particular leader and reject another. It is good if they support UML and not a particular leader. Then other parties can join that coalition. If the Maoists think that they can trouble UML by interfering in our party affairs, they are mistaken. Such an act will only boomerang on themselves.
Myrepublica.com: You had reportedly said earlier that now it was the turn of the NC to lead the government? Is it true?
Oli: No. I haven’t said that. I have not spoken against NC’s leadership either so far. One thing that can be said is that the next prime minister will be from among democratic parties, most likely from NC or UML.
Myrepublica.com: Don’t you think that the formation of majority government can derail the peace process and hinder the constitution-writing process?
Oli: Politics is not waiting to head in that direction but is already in that direction. We will reach nowhere until the Maoists don’t renounce violence, stop giving continuity to its policy to capture state powers and utilize the peace process as a means to that end. Therefore, we are trying to transform the Maoists. We will do it.
Myrepublica.com: Maoists have said that they have practical problems in immediately resolving issues related to their combatants. They have said they are ready to resolve the issues within the next six months. Can’t other parties trust them on this?
Oli: Then they can join the government after six months. What is the problem? Are they dissolving their party after six months?
Myrepublica.com: They have a fear that once the army integration issues are resolved, the non-Maoist parties will have an upper hand in constitution-drafting and that they will gang up against the Maoists and put them in a corner.
Oli: Why will the people in this country put the Maoists in a corner when they haven’t done that to NC or other parties? Nepali people have forgiven Maoists and they are ready to correct them even after that they killed over 14,000 people.
Myrepublica.com: Don’t you think the Maoists may return to war if you push them too far in the name of correcting them?
Oli: Maoists want to do the same but they can’t. The shelters that they claimed were jungles no longer remain so. The five-star hotels in Delhi, Patna and Lucknow can no longer accommodate them. Therefore, their claim to return to the jungles is only an empty threat.
Myrepublica.com: What will happen of this peace process if parties fail to reach a consensus even in the next 11 months?
Oli: We ensure peace in this country by any means, be it through the ongoing peace process or other ways.
Myrepublica.com: There were reports that some leaders are in favor of you becoming a CA member paving the way for your candidacy for prime minister. What is your personal opinion?
Oli: I heard that some friends are in favor of that. They think that my presence in the CA may help stop some undisciplined activities like launching signature campaign against each other that are taking place so far.
Myrepublica.com: What is your aspiration?
Oli: I am no more interested to be become a CA member. CA membership is not a big thing for someone who remained a parliamentarian for over 15 years. I have already served as senior deputy prime minister, foreign minister and home minister. I am not worried about achieving particular posts for myself.
Myrepublica.com: Is there any chance of you becoming the next prime minister?
Oli: As I am not even a CA member as of now, I think there is no meaning of holding discussion on this topic at present.
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