The death of Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has created a dangerous vacuum in the party. Dangerous because his death, right on the eve of the party's 13th General Convention, could trigger a multi-pronged struggle for power in the oldest democratic party in the country. Koirala was thinking of running for party president again, at least partly because those close to the establishment faction feared being sidelined if Koirala relinquished his hold. Now with Koirala gone, members of the establishment faction will be extremely anxious. Both Ram Chandra Poudel and Sher Bahadur Deuba are now sure to double down on their individual campaigns for party presidency, their hopes suddenly kindled by the absence of a potent opponent. But neither has much to offer, either to the party or to the country. Deuba has twice occupied the prime minister's chair and each time been found wanting. He disgracefully agreed to be King Gyanendra's choice of prime minister after the royal coup in 2004. Acting party president Poudel has another dubious record: of being ignominiously defeated in a prime ministerial contest in parliament for 17 consecutive times. It would be a stretch to call either Deuba or Poudel a visionary.Whoever gets to be party chairman after the general convention slated for March 3-6, the removal of Koirala from the scene also offers an opportunity for renewal for the Congress party. Ideally, both the establishment and Deuba camps would pick a unanimous candidate in what would be a clear message of unity. For Nepali Congress has effectively been run as two parties after the merger of Deuba's Nepali Congress (Democratic) with the mother party in 2007. Such factionalism does not befit a political party that likes to portray itself as the oldest and the strongest advocate of democratic values in the country. It is also about time that there was a serious debate over party ideology. Congress still professes belief in its founding pillars of "socialism" and "democracy". We get to hear from Congress leaders their bold visions to return the party to its social democratic roots. They also talk of making the party compatible to the realities of the 21st century. They say they aspire to emulate the success of the social democratic parties in Scandinavian countries. But this is easier said than done.
For this to happen, the second-generation Congress leaders who are not hounded by the victim psyche of first-generation leaders—the result of their prolonged struggle for democratic freedom in the past 70 years—must be promoted. The upcoming general convention is thus a wonderful opportunity to cultivate a young generation of leaders by giving them important responsibilities. By the time of the 14th general convention in five years, some of these youth leaders might then vie for party chairman. But the trend in Nepali Congress has been just the opposite. Girija Prasad Koirala, during his 14 years of uninterrupted reign as party president, seemed determined to wield complete control, top to bottom, and crush the ambitions of youth Turks in the party. Even after Girjia Prasad Koirala's passing there have been no initiatives to cultivate a new set of leaders to take over from the old brigade comprised of the likes of Deuba and Poudel. There could be no better time to build a party made vibrant by strong internal democracy and merit-based appointments than an end of the reign of the Koiralas who between them controlled Nepali Congress for nearly 50 of the 70 years since its founding in 1947.
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