Is New Coalition For Creative Changes?

Parmeshwar Devkota

Politics, being an inseparable part of modern day life, affects every part of a society. So, stable government gives confidence to the citizens. If governments change in quick succession, the economic sector and the general people lose faith in it, giving rise to anomalies in the society. Till last week, everything seemed fine with the government headed by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. The CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist) Party, Sanghiya Samajwadi Party, and Nagarik Unmukti Party were running as coalition partners with enthusiasm. 

The Finance Ministry was preparing budget for the 2080/81 BS and the non-governmental organisations, private sector and the private sector institutions were offering creative suggestions to the concerned government agencies for better economic systems. There was no threat to the government. Amid that, the NC held a Mahasamiti meeting. Some leaders in the meeting hyped rhetorical and theoretical issues and explored the strategy for 2084 BS elections, sowing the seeds of conflict with the Maoist Centre. 

PM Prachanda dismantled the coalition with the NC and formed a new one with CPN-UML. Nepal's mixed electoral system is attributed to the creation of hung parliament, resulting in the formation of coalition government. This gives rise to odd situation in which smaller parties call the shots while the bigger ones have to play a subsidiary role. 

PM Prachanda, whose party is the third largest one in the Federal Parliament, formed a new coalition government involving CPN-UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party, CPN-Unified Socialist and Janata Samajbadi Party. As the House of Representatives (HoR) started it session, the leaders began floating their ideas. The House meeting was filled with sarcastic and satirical speeches of the leaders. 

In theory, every member in the House knows that tolerance and courtesy form the important aspects the politics, but in practice, they are not found showing it. When they stand to address from the dignified podium, they forget these virtues and indulge in trading acerbic remarks only to denigrate the parliamentary values. 

Frankly speaking, the speeches made by main leaders did not help me understand the rationale behind the change of coalition but speech of vice-president of Rastriya Swatantra Party Dr. Swarnim Wagle has made us comprehend this. Dr. Wagle said the Prime Minister is for quicker execution of development tasks which are not possible with the old coalition. He stressed that the Prime Minister has great enthusiasm to show performance in every aspect of national life.

As Dr. Wagle said, if the new coalition was committed to bringing changes in the system, it would bring creative programmes to uplift the economic condition of 4.5 million Nepalis living below poverty line. If the new coalition government is for positive changes, it should pay the heed to the people facing economic hardships. The civil servants have also endured soaring inflation and expects a raise in their salary.