New Coalition In Helm

Nepali politics has taken a new turn, with the collapse of eight-party alliance and the formation a new one. CPN-Maoist Centre chair and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has severed ties with Nepali Congress, the largest ally of former alliance, and joined hands with CPN-UML and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). As the differences with the NC reached a climax, PM Prachanda terminated his 15-month partnership with the NC led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. Now four political parties – Maoist Centre, UML, RSP and Janata Samjabadi Party (JSP) – have come together to form the government. In the first phase, Hit Bahadur Tamang from Maoist Centre, Padam Giri of the UML, and Dol Prasad Aryal of RSP were inducted in the four-member Cabinet as ministers without portfolios. The coalition has decided to share ministries in consensus.

In order to consolidate the newly patched coalition, the four parties have inked an eight-point agreement that has underlined the need for collaboration among the forces having common viewpoint on good governance, development, social justice and prosperity. They have agreed to support the Maoist Centre's candidate to the post of National Assembly (NA) chairperson and UML's candidate to its vice-chairperson. The new alliance has decided to hold necessary dialogue with other political parties to rope them into the government. In yet another important deal, the allies have come to an understanding to conclude a Bill related to transitional justice (TJ) and issues related to the peace process at the earliest so as to maintain sustainable peace in the country. 

The Bill to amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act has been pending in the parliament for a long time as the parties failed to forge consensus on some of its provisions. The delay in the approval of the Bill has left the conflict victims high and dry. Aware of the negative implications of frequent changes of guards on the new system, the alliance agreed to enact the laws related to federalism and make the performance of the three-tier government effective. They will soon come up with a common minimum programme to guide the government's policies and programmes. The deal has placed greater emphasis on political stability to strengthen national sovereignty, independence and geographical integrity, and achieve socialism-oriented economic development. Chairmen of the coalition parties KP Sharma Oli, Prachanda, Rabi Lamichhane and Upendra Yadav - have signed the accord.

Speaking at a programme in Kathmandu Monday, Prime Minister Prachanda urged the party functionaries to understand the recent changes properly and underlined the unity among all revolutionaries for larger cause of the nation and people. He also warned against manipulating his party. The sudden political development has surprised many but the deepening bickering between the Maoist Centre and NC led to the current situation. This is the formation of third coalition after the federal polls held in November 2022. It is natural that changes of the government in the centre impact the entire political and administrative realms. In order to make the newly-installed government stable, its partners must develop coalition culture that helps them sort out their mutual discords amicably and form common stance on the key national issues. The leaders of new alliance must create a mechanism to effectively implement the government's programmes and policies, thereby ensuring development, good governance and prosperity for the people.