Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s press advisor Govinda Acharya said the main reason leading to the break-up of ruling alliance with the Nepali Congress (NC) was political one.
Talking to RSS, he further shared the ruling alliance did not break overnight but a situation was emerged due to some ideological and practical differences with the alliance partner, NC.
“There were some practical complications and reasons behind the break-up but they were not the major ones”, Acharya mentioned.
On political reasons compelling PM to break-up the alliance with NC, he said, “It would have been politically incorrect to stick with NC, especially following the documents, presented and endorsed at its policy general convention held in Godavari, Lalitpur on last March 19-22, questioned the rationale of the alliance with the parties including Maoists and decided in principle not to form alliance”.
He further noted the policy report presented by Deputy Prime Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka in the Mahasamiti described the Maoists as an “extremist force working against the 2047 BS Constitution and the system on the backing of visible and invisible power centres”.
“Several policy questions, including signature campaign against constitution-guaranteed secularism in the Mahasamiti were raised. So, alliance with the NC was not terminated over the night. The political and ideological differences are the key behind the incident. NC is responsible for this”, the press advisor asserted.
It would have been politically and ideologically wrong arguing that the CPN (Maoist Centre) should have stuck with the NC even after it endorsed a different line with serious allegations to the Maoists, Acharya argued.
“This situation got the Prime Minister and Maoist Party Chair seriously think about his collaboration with the NC. The Prime Minister had made it clear that he would not request NC to correct its allegations against the Maoists in a way that goes against the spirit and spirit of the peace accord”, Acharya mentioned”, he added.
The present constitution and the federal democratic republic have been built on the foundation of the Maoist people’s war, he said, adding the NC’s negative portrayal of the Maoist people’s war and defense of the Constitution of 2047 BS has given room to suspect NC on its regressive stands.
The PM did not choose to stick to the post bowing down to the NC or shy away from his responsibility towards the country and the people by resigning, he said, adding, “Instead, he took immediate initiative and extended a hand of cooperation with other parties in favor of the Constitution that had initially supported him to become the PM for this term”
In this way, the PM did not stop his campaign to achieve good governance, social justice and prosperity and made a collective commitment to move forward more effectively, Acharya noted.
Asked about practical difficulties in continuing coalition with the Nepali Congress, the PM’s Press Advisor said there were some reasons for breaking the alliance but these are not decisive reasons. “Political ideological reason is decisive. The Prime Minister did not get expected support for maintaining good-governance, social justice and prosperity while forging alliance with the NC.”
According to Acharya, the pressure, encirclement and non-cooperation on the Prime Minister while advancing the probe into Bhutanese refugee scam was not usual. “During that time too, the PM made public announcement not to stop the journey of good-governance even if he had to quit the post of premiership. There are hundreds of examples of non-cooperation in every step of the PM.” He added the NC prevented the PM from changing the ministers having poor delivery and those who were dragged into controversy. “Unnecessary interventions were there in state affairs (from the NC),” Acharya shared.
Likewise, Acharya argued that only NC benefitted from the alliance while the Maoist Centre suffered from the NC-Maoist Centre coalition adding that the NC emerged the largest party in local, provincial and federal elections but the Maoist Centre lost seats from its previous position.
“Even after holding the elections, the NC broke the political consensus forged with the Maoist Centre and showed its deceitful act. As the NC backtracked from its earlier agreement to make Prime Minister to Prachanda, Maoist Centre Chairman Prachanda got elected the PM with the support from UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party and other political parties on December 25,2022. After that, NC’s candidate got victory in the presidential election based on Prachanda’s proposal.
However, the NC made party’s leader as the Chief Minister in Koshi Province against the coalition partners’ decision to second the Maoist Centre’s candidate as the Chief Minister.
Also, Maoist Centre’s candidate Champadevi Karki lost election to the National Assembly despite NC’s candidates won there. Amid such acts of betrayal, the NC neither took actions to its leaders and lawmakers nor sought any clarification. But, the PM proposed to address these all issues through mutual discussions. But against this backdrop, the NC Mahasamiti Meeting described Maoist as an extremist force by ending the relevance of coalition. So in a true sense, it was NC’s deceitful act and betrayal to the Maoist Centre.
“The recent coalition was formed by sitting Nepal’s political leaders together. This is not formed for and against any of the foreign country or force. The PM has also made it clear that it was formed for the cause of Nepal and Nepali. The country would have gone to further instability if coalition were not formed in time with UML, RSP, Janata Samajwadi Party and CPN (Unified Socialist). It is not required to link the foreign force in Nepal’s internal political affairs,” according to Acharya.
The new political alliance is natural in regard to their political principle and this alliance is sure to long last. It will continue until the next elections. This alliance is formed to do something for the people and country. And, this alliance will hold the upcoming elections.
