People of Nepal have been misled in the name of democracy with the conspiracies of politics of double standard – promising one thing but doing completely opposite, for half a century by every leadership who made a public pledge. But the democracy is the process that cannot be accomplished with such politics that resembles a state of affair in which one attempts to cross the river having one´s two legs on two different boats. This had has been the cognizant or ignorant attempt of all political parties. But after the abolition of the institutional of the feudal monarchy the road to democracy for Nepal has become clear for at least to resist such attempts. That is why the process of forming a consensus based unity government has become easier said than done.
For example, if Maoist party´s fundamental objective for the people´s war was for the abolition of the institution of the feudal monarchy to establish the republic state then Maoist leaderships at all party levels must take the responsibility of the peace process to reach logical conclusion by fully complying to the democratic processes without any underlying ideological double standard. Therefore, consensus based unity government cannot be formed without sharing the state power with all major political parties in order to guarantee the democratic processes at this crucial moment of drafting a new constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
A coalition government as such should not be formed without the balance of the state power among main political parties particularly in regards to defense and home ministries. Therefore, it is reasonable for Nepali Congress as a second major political party in Constituent Assembly to demand defense ministry portfolio of such a coalition government. Because Maoist as a major political party of CA has not yet been able to establish full national trust to allocate defense portfolio for the peace and democratic processes to reach to a logical conclusion. Since NC has played a leading role initiating peace process by bringing Maoist party to the mainstream politics of Nepal it should take its responsibility to make sure that peace and democracy reach to a logical conclusion.
Similarly, it is reasonable for UML as a third major political party of Constituent Assembly to claim home ministry portfolio to enforce law and order for peace and democratic processes to reach a logical conclusion. Since Maoist party has not yet fully establish the national trust in its all party levels, particularly with YCL paramilitary stage management UML should take the responsibility of law and order to balance the state power.
Unless Maoist leaderships can see the ground reality of national trust that they cannot lead a unity government without trusting NC and UML by the allocating the defense and home ministry portfolios, the formation of a consensus based coalition government is impossible. In that case, as per the direction of the president of Nepal under the Article 38 (2) of the Interim Constitution the ballot of Constituent Assembly must elect the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. In my opinion, the democracy in Nepal is heading to make revolution in institutionalizing the strength of the electoral democratic process.
It is for sure making 10% of population affluent high up and leaving 90% people under the poverty line the respect for national integrity and law and order under democracy will not be possible because 90% people´s suffering will inevitably generate anarchy and mutiny. It is foolish to keep rich in enclave like affluent India completely surrounded by poor without the sense of responsibility. But it is wise to set a democratic system that can give all the opportunity to fight poverty. In that regard, people have still the hope in Maoist party if only it can be processed through the scientific state restructuring under the federal government system such as scientific land redistribution, free health care and pre to high school education national programs.
This is what people demand from Maoist party and that´s why Maoist party has received such mandate. This is the Maoist party´s responsibility to guarantee such achievements by restructuring state under the federal government system. But without sharing the state power with NC and UML Maoist cannot alone fulfill their pledges that they have made to people who are still living in the transitional feudal system of economy as deprived and marginalized people of Nepal.
However, the foremost responsibility of Maoist as major political party of Constituent Assembly is to lead the formation of a consensus based unity government. It is impossible to lead such a consensus based unity government if Maoist leaderships fail with their premature ambitions for power to control nation the way they have dreamed of. It is therefore ambitious of them in intending to grab all the major ministry portfolios – Prime Minister, Defense, Home and Foreign Affair.
But Maoist party can lead the unity government if Maoist leaderships normalize their ambition for power with the pragmatic political sensibility that Nepal is not only their nation the way they want to shape its destiny. They must able to rationalize their ideological dreams from the perspectives of 21st century Nepal even it is one of the poorest nation its dream in its each individual citizen is also to reach moon with his or her freedom.
The bitterness that has skyrocketed between NC and Maoist leaderships is counterproductive not only to themselves but to the entire nation. The Maoist bitterness that has been targeted against caretaker Prime Minister GP Koirala in every humanistic way is irrational in spite of Koirala´s attitude of political apathy for other political parties. The best way out of such an individual is to play fair politics that if Maoist party has accomplished their fundamental goal out of people´s war by abolishing the feudal institution of monarchy to establish republic then Maoist party in every level and practice must rely fully on democratic processes in transforming nation to a prosperous federal democratic republic of Nepal.
Similarly, the NC leaderships must not rhetorically condemn Maoist party in anticipation of totalitarian dictatorship but try to consolidate their commitments for peace and democracy to help reach to a logical conclusion base on the ground reality of the nation. It is for sure without letting Maoist party to lead the formation of a consensus based unity government the peace and democracy may disorient, which will be unfortunate to the nation and people of Nepal. NC will be solely responsible if the nation gets dragged to such political misfortunes. Therefore, it is time to accommodate Maoist as a major political party to lead in forming a consensus based unity government with all ministry portfolios except defense to NC and home to UML to handle at this transition period for implementing democratic processes of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.