Now all eyes are on the UML, the third largest party, which has been batting for a consensus government. In this context, myrepublica.com talked to UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal to know whether his party will change the July 20 decision to remain neutral in the election and on the likely solution to the present political deadlock.
EXCERPTS
Myrepublica.com: After how many more rounds of election, will the country get a new prime minister?
Jhalanath Khanal: It will be unfortunate for the country if we continue to walk on the present path [forming a majority government] rather than the one that would allow for the completion of the peace process and constitution writing. Now all the political parties should review their stances and take a new one.
Myrepublica.com: What do you mean by ‘review of stances’?
Khanal: First of all, to form a government for the sake of forming a new government will be meaningless. A new government should be in place for specific reasons – to complete the constitution-writing process and conclude the peace process. As the nation needs a consensus government, the parliament should abide by the national aspirations.
Myrepublica.com: What will your party do if even the fourth round of election fails to choose a prime minister?
Khanal: The current political deadlock will end only if the parties are ready to move ahead for a consensus government.
Myrepublica.com: But the process of electing a majority government has already begun.
Khanal: As you have seen, this process has not yielded results. Now the process has given birth to anomalies. A party [Madhesi People’s Rights Forum] split in course of forming a majority government last year, which was bad. There was a floor crossing by lawmakers in Monday’s election. What will the government that comes into being through floor crossing or committing other irregularities give to the country?
So we should not walk on such a path that has led us to indecision; we should instead choose a new and bright path.
Myrepublica.com: What should be done to walk on the new and bright path?
Khanal: Knowingly or unknowingly, the prime ministerial race has already started. In fact, it is now clear from three rounds of elections that this race will not take us to our destination. Now this process should be reviewed.
Myrepublica.com: How should the present process of electing the prime minister be stopped?
Khanal: Comrade Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) has endured a long struggle to rise to this position. So has Ram Chandra Poudel. They should not give priority to a post or chair since it is the time to prioritize peace and constitution. I suppose they know it seriously. They should now end the present prime ministerial race. They should now make sacrifice for a national consensus.
Myrepublica.com: Do you mean they should withdraw their candidacy?
Khanal: Both parties should think about it seriously.
Myrepublica.com: Don’t you think that your party’s decision to remain neutral has caused the present political deadlock?
Khanal: UML should not be blamed for the indecision. Instead, the parties whose candidates are in the race that has led the country to nowhere are to be blamed for the present situation of indecision. UML adheres to the principle of peace and constitution. Do you think a majority government will guarantee peace and constitution? If yes, we are ready to think in that direction. But we have already experienced two majority governments. The experience tells us that there should be a national consensus government. UML does not want to make another mistake by advocating for a majority government.
Myrepublica.com: Even senior leader of your party have been saying that the UML decision has caused the present deadlock. They have also demanded for a meeting of the party’s central committee.
Khanal: That is completely wrong. The central committee meeting can be called any time and discuss the earlier decision. But UML will not deviate from its decision of advocating for a national consensus government.
Myrepublica.com: Many think the deadlock can be ended if your party reviews the earlier decision.
Khanal: There is no space for reviewing the decision [to remain neutral]. There is no need to review the decision as well.
Myrepublica.com: Is there any possibility of calling the central committee’s meeting of your party and reviewing the decision before the Aug 6 election?
Khanal: Meeting can be called as many times as needed. It can be called even tomorrow or day after tomorrow. But it is not possible to change our decision regarding national consensus.
Myrepublica.com: Several rounds of talks and three rounds of voting so far have proved that national consensus is too elusive of a goal to achieve. At the same time, the election process has also failed to yield any result. What’s next?
Khanal: We must learn from the experiences of the last two years that majority government will take the country nowhere. We have to stop it and take sincere initiatives toward forging national consensus. Efforts put so far for national consensus has not been enough. We can achieve it if we do it with determination.
Myrepublica.com: But how can consensus be forged when no one is ready to compromise?
Khanal: If UML can sacrifice by withdrawing its prime ministerial candidacy for national consensus, why cannot others? Why cannot Nepali Congress (NC) and Maoists make sacrifices? All should be ready for that. There is no way out except to come together.
Myrepublica.com: There are also arguments that national consensus is mere rhetoric for public consumption while leaders in the major parties remain divided – one section lobbying for democratic and others for left alliance. Do you agree?
Khanal: Neither the so-called democratic unity nor the left alliance can yield any result in our context. Our historic responsibility is to deliver peace and constitution. It can be done only after all the democratic and leftist forces come together. Broad national unity is the need of the hour.
Myrepublica.com: There is a strong voice within UML that the present democratic ruling coalition must remain intact and that the Maoists must be stopped from heading the government. What is your view?
Khanal: Almost all parties have a common view that the Maoists shouldn’t be given the reins of the government in the present context. UML has taken the same decision. At the same time, no one has said that Maoists should be stopped from heading a government even after the party detaches itself from its arms and army. All these issues will be dealt with properly once we start working to build consensus.
Myrepublica.com: What if the Maoists, who emerged as the largest party in the CA election, wins in the fourth round despite the major parties’ unwillingness to accept their leadership?
Khanal: Neither can we succeed in stopping the Maoists nor can they be successful in their plan to rule single-handedly. We all should rather join hands and concentrate our efforts in delivering peace and constitution. There are several differences in the policies and goals set by the parties. We can debate certain issues while work together in other specific agendas. There should be agenda-based relations among the parties.
Myrepublica.com: What are you planning to do in the run up to Friday’s voting?
Khanal: We are planning to make an appeal to other political parties and to the public today (Tuesday). Intensifying the talks, we will urge other political parties to forge agenda-based unity with us.
Myrepublica.com: What are your propositions to UCPN (Maoist) and NC to bring these two forces together?
Khanal: We can have a common understanding on a point that delivering peace and constitution in the next 10 months to the people is a must. It can’t be done single-handedly by any political party. It can’t be accomplished by any democratic or left alliance either. It can be achieved only after the existing major political forces stand united for the purpose. For that, national consensus is necessary. Consensus can be forged if we are ready to work together on agenda basis.
Myrepublica.com: Will there be any agreement on the outstanding issues if the candidates become ready to withdraw their candidacies? What do you think?
Khanal: We will start talks on the agenda items on priority basis. Agreements can be reached one after another through mutual understanding.
Myrepublica.com: Have any talks taken place among the political parties in the direction of withdrawal of candidacies?
Khanal: Leaders of various levels from the three major political parties have held several rounds of formal as well as informal talks in this regard.
Myrepublica.com: Some claim that you are trying to avoid central committee meeting sensing that majority of the party’s all-powerful body may take decision to vote for NC. Is it true?
Khanal: This is cent percent wrong. UML at its July 20 meeting unanimously decided to firmly stand for national consensus and it will do so. The party will not budge an inch from its stance.
Myrepublica.com: Some of UML’s leaders have publicly floated an idea of heading the government on rotational basis. Is it your party’s official view?
Khanal: We are for consensus politics. Any system or method that can be helpful to ensure peace and constitution is acceptable for UML.
Myrepublica.com: Finally, how optimistic are you that the country will get a new prime minister within a couple of days?
Khanal: It has become clear that the ongoing process will not yield any result without resorting to unhealthy means. Even if a result comes through this process, it will be unhealthy and that will not be in the country’s interest. But if we put our efforts for consensus politics, we will surely be able to form a unity government and deliver peace and constitution. I am fully confident on that.
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