KATHMANDU, Oct 22: Hundred days have elapsed since CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli was sworn in as the prime minister under Article 76(2) of the constitution, two days after the failure of the Maoist Center chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal to secure a vote of confidence from the parliament on July 12. The new government formed after the UML withdrew its support to the Dahal-led coalition government citing its ‘failure to deliver’ and signed a seven-point agreement with the Nepali Congress has, ironically, failed to make any substantial delivery in its honeymoon period.
If the first 100 days of the government is any indicator of its future, the political and economic developments in the period paint an alarming picture of what the federal government has in store for the general public. Experts have identified inefficient governance, worsening economic conditions, blatant abuse of authority, and lack of political direction, as the major factors behind the government’s declining public support in the honeymoon period.
Under the fifth point of the seven-point agreement, the two major ruling parties had agreed to ensure a governance framework whereby they would operate based on a common program to protect national interests, curb corruption, and ensure good governance.
However, the government’s disconnect from the ground-level economic conditions and the ineffectiveness in disaster response during the floods and landslides of September 27-28 has exposed the government’s lack of prioritization of effective governance. When the country was grappling with grief during the national crisis induced by the disaster incident, PM Oli was attending the United Nations General Assembly, where he failed to make any significant impact.
Honeymoon Over, Get Back to Work!
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“A classic example of the shortcoming in governance is the lack of coordination in the mobilization of security forces during the rescue operations after the disaster incidents,” Political Analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told Republica, “If the security forces had not taken the initiative to curb the effect of the disaster, we would have observed more losses.”
Similarly, Political Analyst Dr Uddhab Pyakurel called out the disinterest in protecting national interest exhibited by the government on its first day as lawmakers of the ruling parties defended the industrialists who had not cleared their electricity bills.
In the first few weeks of the formation of the new government, the stock market saw a sharp increase in activity, raising hopes of economic revival. However, towards the end of the honeymoon period, most economic indicators show that the country’s economy is on the downturn.
“The government has failed to increase expenditure, the private sector is not interested to invest although they have been offered subsidized loans, and the government has not been able to secure foreign investment,” Economist Keshav Acharya told Republica.
An issue that has killed the confidence of the people towards the Oli-led government is the apparent abuse of authority in accepting donation of a 0.55 hectares plot of land from Bhatbhateni supermarket chain owner Min Bahadur Gurung for the construction of UML’s new party office. Gurung was previously arrested for his involvement in the Lalita Niwas land grab case. On October 11, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of the office amid a ceremony attended by party leaders. Political Analyst Pyakurel called out the acceptance of the land donation by the UML as an open abuse of authority.
“It is a blatant abuse of authority when the head of government accepts a donation from the culprit of a corruption case who is seeking political support,” he told Republica, “As the Prime Minister, Oli should not have accepted the donation.”
Political analysts also pointed out the disappearance of political direction following the formation of the new government. Although the ruling coalition comprises two major parties in the parliament, it has failed to show where the country is heading politically. “The two main parties forming a coalition government is in itself alarming in a parliamentary system,” Analyst Bhatta told Republica, “In addition, the internal conflicts within the two parties has raised eyebrows as to where the country’s politics is headed.”
Analyst Bhatta, in particular, predicted that the political future of the country is heading towards constitutional and legal instability.
