Prime minister´s press advisor Surya Thapa argues that this government, formed in a difficult phase of transition, should not be evaluated like the one formed during normal times.[break]
“The government has moved ahead despite non-cooperation and stiff opposition from inside and outside the party,” says Thapa.
The trouble for the government began immediately after it was formed when the “secret” seven-point deal between Khanal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal became public.
The controversial seven-point deal, which aimed at polarization of the leftist parties and completing the peace process and constitution drafting through a two-thirds majority, not only alienated the prime minister within his own party, the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) and others also felt suspicious and sidelined.
“Since the basis on which the government was formed came under controversy, it could not take any steps toward forging national consensus,” says UML Central Committee (CC) member Jaganath Khatiwada.
The deal also created a rift in his party with the party factions led by Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Oli routinely attacked the prime minister in public. But Khanal not only failed to convince his party-men, but courted another controversy by giving the home ministry to the Maoists, which was against the party standing committee´s decision.
The latest cabinet decision to table a bill on CA term extension without taking the opposition parties into confidence was another step taken by his government that ruffled the feathers of opposition parties.
“We had not expected much from this government. But it also failed to forge minimum understanding between the parties on consensus,” says Maoist lawmaker Hari Rokka. But Rokka adds that the government was not in a condition to do anything due to unfavorable political atmosphere.
During its honeymoon period, the peace process became stagnant. There were only two meetings of the Special Committee for the Integration and Rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants. All the Special Committee did was form a four-member taskforce to take decision on the issues related to integration, including the number, modality, standard norms and rehabilitation packages. The taskforce also met twice but could not take any concrete decision.
But there were some agreements on the constitution drafting front. The subcommittee formed under the Constitutional Committee (CC) brought down the number of contentious issues from 75 to 31, though the major issues remained unresolved.
The prime minister´s aides agree that the government could not work as expected as much of its energy was spent in giving it a full shape. It took three months for the current government to get its full shape and some ministers have not yet taken an oath of office.
The prime minister´s advisor Thapa argues that the prime minister has, however, zeroed in on peace and constitution. “He is creating the basis for completing the peace process and constitution drafting. And he nearly has two-thirds majority for it,” he says.
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