Dr. Bhattarai’s recent move – attempt to form a New Force or another party (Nepalekhabar analysis)

Kathmandu: Second in command in the Maoist party Dr. Baburam Bhattarai left the party with the objective of forming a new force. The question is whether he is really forming a new force that can work as per the people’s aspiration or is he forming another party in an already crowded political spectrum.

It was his decision to leave the Unified CPN-Maoist. Dr. Bhattarai dominated the leaders of political parties before he was elected Prime Minister of the country. During his tenure he did some good work like expanding the roads in Kathmandu valley and reassuring people that the state is above all and it can impose its will if there is strong determination. Similarly, he tried to give good space to competent people. But Dr. Bhattarai, who always scored distinction in his academic life failed to score distinction during his tenure as the top executive. Dr. Bhattarai is very clever in publicity stunts but forgets it does not work all the time. Take an example of Mustang Max car he used during his tenure. He used the car as a bid to promote domestic production but he left the car with his chair in Singha Durbar and started riding a luxurious Scorpio Jeep as he did not really want to promote national industry and just create propaganda to win the people’s heart. He dissolved the first constituent assembly during his tenure pushing the country further back.

In the second constituent assembly he played good role for the formulation of the new constitution, but when the time came for promulgation, he changed his tone to the tone of the Indian government and officials. Nepali people had high hopes from him as he is the an intellectual and considered a visionary leader, but his resignation was a surprise to many people as the need of the hour was to put the political parties on track as the country was standing at the cross-roads of history. Nepali people’s aspiration of drafting a new constitution materialized after six decades, so, this is the time for institutionalizing it rather than create unnecessary demands and pressures. He left the party at a time India was trying to create problems.

Dr. Bhattarai left the party thinking lots of people would support him. He tried to garner support from business communities and intellects but as he did not have any new policies and programs, he did not get support as expected and started to give lectures to members of the Maoist party and tried to bring his old cadres to his so called new force. If he is again forming a new party after splitting from the mother party, it would just be an addition of another major party in the country and the people will have to pay the price for it.

There is a need for a new force in Nepal as the current political parties do not have a long term vision of the country and they are just running for portfolios and not the real needs of the people. But this new force should not be led by a political leader who is of retirement age. If Dr. Bhattarai really wants to have a new force in the country that works for the people, he should be the advisor, not the chairperson or in any executive post. The debate of new force has been ongoing in Nepal for a while by different groups. Chief of BBC Nepali Service Rabindra Mishra has been advocating for the need of new force and many people have been waiting for such a force but it is nowhere in the scene as there is no person to really play the coordination role. Not only politicians, it is really difficult to get people with clean image in the country. Additionally, suitable persons are scattered in different parts of the globe and are busy with their own businesses and do not have time to think about it. The Non Residential Nepalese Association, which has networks in over 71 countries, could act as a new force but the association is organizing retreat in the country only once a year ahead of the major festivals of the country.

The new force is inevitable in the country as the current leadership has not been able to bail the country out from the current problems and give a new vision. This new force should be led by professionals with a strong advisory committee of politicians who could guide them, but not impose their will. The new force should prepare financial sustainability of itself rather than being another burden to the businessmen and general people. It should make criteria for office bearers like not hold major position for more than one term and should have some means of livelihood even after retirement, so that they do not accumulate properties for generations.

Dr. Bhattarai’s efforts would be appreciated if he really wants a new force and plays a coordination role for bringing people of all walks of life together, but if this is his attempt to be the chair of a new party by bringing people like Anil Shah and others, who have become celebrities by writing some articles in newspapers and giving interviews in the media, it would be another burden to the country. Mr. Shah, who was encouraged from his meeting with Dr. Bhattarai and is eager to join the new force is the Chief Executive Officer of Mega Bank Limited and is under investigation for fraud. Shah should first get clean cheat from Nepal Rastra Bank and clarify his alleged involvement in various scams in the bank. He has been alleged of cheating Nepal Rastra Bank and violating the law by investing shares in other people’s names. The new force should be the common platform of all people involved in different walks of life in Nepal and elsewhere; not the forum of so called celebrities, who are seeking a new party to fulfill their political ambitions. Dr. Bhattarai should seek to coordinate to form the new force by bringing people of different walks of life rather than just collecting his well-wishers.

He has already served the nation and the party, so, it is time for him to coordinate for the formation of a new force and give the leadership to the youths. If the new force really wants to contribute to the society, only people aged 30 to 50 should be in the top posts and people above the age should serve as the advisors from the grass-roots to the national level. The time is now for such a New Force, not a new political party, which can address the voices of all people and Bhattarai’s attempt should be in this direction and not to form a new political party.

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