Unfortunate as these decisions are, it’s even harder to understand why the prime minister took them. In a democratic society, the government must feel accountable to the people and should explain the rationale behind its decisions. It is regrettable that the prime minister, who has opened a 24-hour hotline to his office to keep in touch with commoners and interacts with them via his monthly radio appearance, did not feel it necessary to explain to them either of the controversial decisions.
The expansion of the cabinet is particularly baffling. The prime minister, who has publicly committed himself to austerity measures and has acted along those line in many instances, has expanded the size of his cabinet to 46, second only to the cabinet led by Sher Bahadur Deuba in 1996. Since some of the ministerial slots still need to be filled —such as defense ministry and some state-minister quotas allotted to the MPRF(R)— the Bhattarai cabinet is sure to break all records. The prime minister had once resisted the induction of state ministers since they hardly have any role and just add to state expenses.
It is the prime minister alone who can explain the reasoning behind this U-turn. The timing of the expansion is even more problematical. Since the signing of the seven-point deal a few weeks ago there had been a sense of optimism in Nepali politics and political leaders—including Prime Minister Bhattarai himself— have said that a government of national consensus will be formed once the peace process is completed by November 23.
That means, the parties are supposed to complete the peace process and form a national unity government in the next two weeks. Has Bhattarai inducted 26 new ministers into his cabinet just for two weeks? Or doesn’t he believe that a national unity government will be formed by then? And if he doesn’t at all subscribe to the idea of a national unity government, he should explain that too. Unfortunately, neither the prime minister nor any responsible leader from his party has explained this untimely cabinet expansion.
Leaders from the two major opposition parties—NC and UML—have already protested against the expansion and termed it counter to the spirit of the seven-point deal. Both the cabinet expansion and the pardon plea for Dhungel could quickly dent the new-found trust among the parties. Prime Minister Bhattarai must now act urgently to salvage that trust, which he will need in ample measure to conclude the peace process and constitution writing.
Related story
Deuba and Dahal did a blunder by writing a letter to MCC HQ: Ol...
-1200x560-1781083488.webp)
