A former president of Nepal Student Union (1980-1983) and two time cabinet minister, Nidhi has been working as one of the key interlocutors of the NC in the inter-party dialogue on peace process and constitution-drafting. Nidhi spoke with Kosh Raj Koirala of Republica about the party’s 12th general convention, current political deadlock and the party’s future course of action, among other issues. [break]
EXCERPTS
The 12th general convention was touted as unity convention. The convention has already finished with the election of central working committee (CWC) office bearers and members. Has this convention brought unity within NC? How will this affect the internal life of the party?
The 12th general convention was a unity convention in one sense. This was the first convention after the merger of then NC (Democratic) with the NC led by Girija Prasad Koirala. Since the merger, the NC was being run on the basis of an agreement reached between Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba. NC was yet to be united in terms of the party’s statute and its structure. This general convention has fulfilled this task.
On a separate note, this convention has adopted election system for the first time in the entire history of the party. This has made the structure of NC inclusive; it has taken the party from presidential system to the system of a committee. Earlier, the party president used to run the affairs of the party on his own. The convention has also addressed the voice for collective leadership raised since a long time back.
The meaning of embracing the culture of collective leadership in a legitimate way is to expand the authority of the party’s central committee. In this sense, this convention was highly successful. The convention has been able to take the party activities to the grassroots level, build the party’s image and help expand the organization and make the party participatory and inclusive.
What are the other changes that this convention has brought about in the party?
The convention has given an opportunity for us to make the party strong. It has helped to build the image of the party. There were concerns after the demise of Koiralaji as to how the party will run. The party was also criticized for lacking internal democracy. NC has allayed all those concerns after the convention. The convention has given opportunity to NC to play a leading role in Nepali politics. It depends now on our capacity to cash in on this opportunity. There are both challenges and opportunities for the newly-elected members and officer bearers.
Almost all people had projected that you would make to the post of party’s general secretary in the convention. What do you think were the reasons behind your defeat?
Well, I do not want to talk about the reasons here. I secured 1,217 votes. I lost the election because I failed to secure more votes than my rival. This is the simple reason behind my defeat.
But there were complaints coming from various leaders in the media that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav also solicited votes against you during his meeting with general convention representatives?
This is true that I could not win the confidence of the president. There was no need for the president’s role in the NC general convention. There is no such need now and there should not be any even in the days ahead.
From what I heard and was told personally, the president influenced votes against me. I do not know how far this is true. Newspapers reports suggested that the president took revenge against me for not supporting his son during the election in Dhanusha. I attended the rallies where his son asked me. In many places, he did not call me and there was no point in going without an invitation.
But, personally, I do not buy the suggestions of the media. I have not tried to investigate the matter. Nor do I want to raise the issue anywhere now.
It is said that leaders close to Deuba are dissatisfied with the role of the party’s parliamentary leader Ram Chandra Poudel in the general convention? Any comment on this?
Of course, there was an understanding reached among Deuba, Poudel, me and Kul Bahadur Gurung on issues related to prime ministerial candidacy and the general convention. Other friends including Purna Bahadur Khadka, Pradip Giri and Minendra Rijal also knew about this understanding. All I want to say now is that Poudel did not support us in the general convention as per the understanding reached before.
Some leaders of the party are openly saying that the 21 positions in the party’s CWC to be nominated by the party president should be shared with the Deuba faction on the basis of vote percentage received in the general convention. What do you think the party president should do on this?
I have not had any talks or meeting with the party president after the general convention. Neither has he asked me about this nor have I contacted him. I think it is not appropriate for me to speak about it now. So far as the provision in the party statute is concerned, the party president has to name the vice-president, one general secretary and joint general secretary from among the elected CWC members. This is his right.
However, it is important how he will exercise his legitimate rights. The party president should exercise his rights in such a way that it will create an environment for others to co-operate with him in order to run the party smoothly. If the president exercises his right keeping his personal interests at the forefront, this will certainly encourage others in the party as well to do things that best serves their interests. It is easy to be the chief of the party but difficult to become a leader. There are various departments within the party. How the president nominates party leaders acceptable to all in the departments and ensures participation of all in these organizations is yet to be seen.
There are efforts to make the party president strong. What do you say to this?
It is wrong to think that the president will become weaker if the CWC is made stronger. A strong CWC means a strong party organization. This will, on the contrary, make the president stronger. It is good to move ahead through consensus.
The issue of seniority has surfaced in the party yet again. Who do you think should come in the party hierarchy after the party president?
Obviously, Sher Bahadurji should be placed in the second position in terms of seniority in the party. So far as Sher Bahadurji is concerned, he is the former prime minister of the country. If a person who has already served as prime minister or president of a party is not respected by his own party, who else will respect him? If you do not teach the culture of respect at your home, others will also not respect you.
Let us now come to the current political situation. There have already been 15 rounds of voting for prime minister. Is it not time to withdraw candidacy or seek an alternative of lone prime ministerial candidate Poudel to end the current political deadlock?
Poudelji, who is our parliamentary party leader, has time and again said that he is ready to withdraw his candidacy once there is an agreement among parties on peace process, constitution-drafting and the candidate who would be next prime minister. I think we do not need to harbor any suspicion or debate about it since Poudelji himself has repeatedly said that he is ready to withdraw his candidacy. There are no differences within the party on issues related to peace process and constitution-drafting. It is with the Maoists that we have differences on these issues. The Maoists must facilitate army integration and rehabilitation, disband paramilitary structures of the Young Communist League and return seized properties.
The Maoists used to claim that there would be consensus immediately after the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. But there are no signs of consensus even four months after his resignation. So we should form a majority government if there is no possibility of forming a consensus government. We should be able to adhere to the politics of consensus even if we form a majority government.
As the political crisis in the country is deepening, the concerns of our neighboring countries China and India is gradually increasing in Nepal. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has even said that there must be a strategic alliance between Nepal, India and China to resolve the political deadlock in Nepal. What do you say on this?
Nepal has special relations with India. While we have formal relations with China at the level of government and its structures, we have cultural relations with India. There must be goodwill and cooperation of both India and China for peace, progress and development in Nepal. Nepal should not play one against another.
However, I do not understand what Chairman Dahal means by strategic alliance among the three countries. This is nothing but an open invitation to both India and China to interfere in Nepal’s internal affairs. On the one hand, they protest against foreign interference while on the other hand they openly invite foreigners in our affairs. This is objectionable.
How will you present yourself in the party now as you have lost election for the post of party general secretary?
It does not mean that I have lost all my roles in the party after loosing in the general convention. I contested for the party’s central working member in the convention held in Kathmandu. I lost the election. I was elected as CWC member during the party’s convention held in Pokhara. I have lost the election and Prakash Man Singh has won it. This is an internal issue of the party. I wish him a successful term in the office.
I will focus my attention on completing the peace process and work toward establishing NC not as a back-bencher but as a party taking the lead in the peace process and constitution-drafting. I will travel across the country and meet my friends. I also have a role in the constituent assembly and legislature-parliament.
Related story
Special general convention of the party will be held after elec...
