The problem with this party is there is no democracy inside the organization. Girija Prasad Koirala is the Gyanendra of the party.
By Dinesh Wagle
Wagle Street Journal [In the photo: Nepali Congress campaign advertisement]
Nepali Congress candidate Dr. Shekhar Koirala who was defeated by Madhesi Janadhikar Forum’s Bijay Kumar Gachhedhar told this to Radio Nepal after the results of Morang-7 were announced: “I don’t know about [the exact reasons for the bad showing of Nepali Congress] in other places but here votes were cast on the ethnic lines. In such case there remains no base to reform in future by the parties.”
I think Dr. Koirala is right. In the ethnicity and caste base politics, ideology loses. That signals another kind of polarization which will ultimately harm the nation. So Dr. Koirala is right. Gachhedar, though former corruption-coordinator of NC, is a Tharu and, Dr. Koirala hinted that Tharus voted for him on the ethnic line.
Wait a second. There is something more. Nepotism and favoritism based politics is just as bad as ethnicity and caste based politics. Dr. Koirala himself is an example of nepotism and favoritism based politics in Nepal. Why did he get NC ticket for the election at the first place? Wasn’t that because of his last name? Just because someone is a son of someone doesn’t mean he is automatically qualified to get party ticket.
While I have mixed feelings about Dr. Koirala’s defeat, I am super duper happy to see Sujata Koirala defeated in the election. Sujata Koirala is the root cause of all problems. What was the qualification of Sujata for the NC ticket? That she plundered former Royal Nepal Airlines and played active role in many corruption cases?
Nepali Congress needs to think with cool mind why it lost so miserably in this election. The problem with this party is there is no democracy inside the organization. Girija Prasad Koirala is the Gyanendra of the party. No one knows how long he is supposed to cling to the presidency. The free and fair elections within the party and performance based evaluations are alien theories for the party. Everything is done in ad hoc basis. This needs to be changed.
If it wants to resurrect to power again it must completely reform change the way it functions, overhaul the organizational structure and do away with the old leadership. This central committee must resign. The defeated leaders and those with bad image in the public and those who don’t have solid base among the mass shouldn’t not be included in the new one.
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Comments
33 responses to “Problem With Nepali Congress”
I feel strongly emancipation is a much better word for ethnicities women and all those leftovers.
i have nothing to say, i think we nepalis must realize that our society is still largely infested with poverty, illetracy and all the social injustices we can think of, We (well not me) voted for Maoism in 21st century. I have no clue wat this is going to do to nepal army and so many other things. I feel a little sad for uml and congress though, god talk about a thrashing. i just hope prachanda has a vision for my country.
At this hour lets not point fingers, lets look at the future. lets forget about our ethnicity and religion and marvel at the glory of democracy.
mr wagle, can you find mr. bamdev gautam and ask him how he lost. i would like to hear that.
and mr wagle can you also start reporting on how many workers serving our bureaucracy be it an ambassador or a peon , a judge or a havaldar get sacked.
I like Prachandra and nobody likes to say the truth we just pray fighting will stop and peace hunza
Mr. Koirala should realize his family has been abusing the power and authority given by the Nepalese to the Koiralas. In the 50 years of democratic existence, the koiralas bar BP have done nothing significant for Nepal. GP was showing some signs of patriotism, but it was, sadly, too little too late.
The country has already been divided among ethnic lines, at least with regard to Bahuns and Chetris. There are now two distinct groups- Bahun-Chetri and Non- Bahun -Chetris. Who is responsible? The same old Bahun-Chetris. The same old Bihari politics.
I hate to say this- but the election results serve the so called big two (NC and UML) right!
I agree with the notion that the differentiation of the agenda of the Nepali Congress in the election was poor. That is why NC lost the election. People vote for the agenda not for what you were in the past. What matters is the present vision of the party. Therefore, this central committee does not have moral authority to be in power any more.
long live the king
If you are not up to inclusive social reform and agendas, then you know what will happen henceforth in Nepal.
You cannot just ignore the helpless , marginalised people who are at the brink of collapse.
If ethnicity based politics will enlighten all people living in Nepal that they ARE in the socio – political geography of the country. Then so be it . What’s the harm ?
Sujata Koirala is the root of ALL problems? Please get real. She is one of many problems.
Both Congress and UML will be strengthened by this election, in the sense that they will both have to improve.
Thank God … Sujata Koirala Lost !!! .. congress really should be a real congress .. this party should have candidate more youths … like Gagan Thapa .. who is very popular .. and the UML … What hell they were thinking .. Didn’t they relaised that Nepaliese wanted change .. They Put the Same Faces .. UML Says “The Same UML and Same SUn sign” .. That means the same corrupted goverment .. They were so confident for winning ..
The Real Reason behind the win of Maoist .. is that they did their home work .. their campaign and candidates were superperb .. new to all..
…. P.S – Seto Machindra Nath broke down .. now i know that may anti-Maoist may be pointing out that it’s a bad sign .. of wrong choise of the people .. BUT TO ME IT SAYS THAT THE KING IS BROKEN DOWN AND REPUBLIC IS FOR SURE!!
its good for the congress , they will learn and they will be the future. the congress as it was winning the majority wouild have been bad for the party. they needed to lose for the changesto happen.
now congress need to seek new leadership – narhari acharya, giri, risal, thapa and deuba because he still has a popular base should lead. and i’m sure there are many others. also the party should open up to new dynamic members.
by the way wagle has tried to reason that the maoists are democratic, eg beuty pagent, but that was before their majority. dont be stupid and think that they will change. it will bedifficult even for prachanda to explain why their party had become a congress and uml, and if they change what was the popint of the 10 year insurgency except to just get power forthe party.
Krishna Sitaula, the habaldar of Prachanda, is mainly responsible for the humiliating defeat of NC and UML because even if these YCL were intimidating people to vote in their favor, this Prachanda’s peon Krishna Sitaula did nothing to stop the unruly activities of the YCL. Sitaula is pretty soon going to join maoist party.
Whose party are you in Dinesh? I was just wondering. Even after reading all your blogs, I still couldn’t figure it out that’s why. No need to answer it if you don’t want to.
Wagle, the problem is not only with NC, the main problem is with you! I bet you casted your vote to NC, and see the result. You shouldnt be so bios , So kantipur should not have been!
i am happy, infact very happy because at least people felt how kantipur had taken insitation aganist the Maoist, but see, people want change, new face, new nepal!
you cant find out NCs’ problem, because u know what the real problem and that never can be sloved. it would be better if you try to be just joutnalist, not the son of NC leader! Good luck! dont be bios!
FYI,
Adolf Hitler got 17277000 votes (yes 17 million+) on March 5th 1933 – an overwhelming election victory.
His traits are very similar to Prachanda. Then he declared himself Chancellor and then Fuerher.
Wagle jee. I think people are looking for change in their life and society which is impossible under king ganendra with the support of Nepali Congress and UML. There are more issue than nepotism and favouritism in our Politics, (Parchanda and few his family member has won this election) such as poverty, race, language and development.
Wagle Jee , Can you tell me what can you expect from Nepali congress or UML at the moment ? No thing absolutely nothing unless they change their attitudes and their leaders. So what this election is doing basically is giving congress and UML to change their attitudes and leaders. But if they failed to do so they will have same position as RPP at present.
Wagle Jee I am not agree with you in this point , Sekhar Koirala didn’t loose just reason of nepotism and favouritism In my view it is reason of party and its vision. Congress couldn’t deliver anything, which they promised with people. and the same time Terai Issue is also another factor that congress and UML unable to address on time.
Wagle ji – I fully agree with your analysis of NC’s predicaments. NC will NOT be a political force to reckon with until there are major-major reforms within the part. That might take few years or a generation or two. NC has been wiped out in the west by the Maoists and in the east by Maoists/Madhesi parties. Moreover, the Maoists will be writing the new rules of the game, which will certainly not help NC. Here is my top three things NC can do immediately to start the rejuvenation process.
(1) The old-worn out leaders have to go to make room for new blood and new ideas. The tendency of NC leaders to think themselves as indispensable has to end. The case in point, Deuba still dreaming about becoming a PM again. There has to be regular turn-over in the top echelon of the party. Even the autocratic Communist party of China sees a new crop of leaders ever 8 years.
(2) The Koirala clan has to stop assuming that it’s their birth right to lead NC. The first order of business is that Girija and all the Koiralas (that lost election) should exit politics following the CA debacle.
(3) NC has to stop being the vassal of India. As long as NC is seen as being the Nepal’s chapter of Congress (I), it will not be able to tap the vast reservoir of nationalist vote.
Mr/Ms Sankalpa – Illiteracy has nothing to do with democracy, just look at Russia. Poverty has nothing to do with democracy either, just look at Saudi Arabia/Thailand. I think we underestimate the intelligence of Nepali people notwithstanding their illiteracy.
Mr/Ms Whatever – I humbly disagree about the UML’s prospects. There can be only 1 lion in a jungle and there can be only 1 dominant left party in Nepal. The Maoists have already taken the role of THE LEFT party in Nepal and will be co-opting the left parties’ agendas including UML’s. The UML will have to find a way distinguish itself if it wants to survive, not an easy task.
Mr/Ms commoner – If people were really infuriated by the YCL’s activities they would have voted against the Maoist, it was a secret ballot, right?
Mr/Ms haha – It is tempting to bring Hilter’s comparison to Nepal but that’s foolhardy. The internal and external circumstances between 1933 Germany and 2008 Nepal are very different (btw, I am or rather used to be a big WWII buff). Yes the Maoist could become more authoritarian but that’s far from a foregone conclusion. Moreover, if Nepalese people can throw away 250 old Shah dynasty in 10-15 years, they can easily do away with 12-year old Maoists party.
freedom writer,
I am certainly not a communist, definitely not a monarchist, can’t imagine being the rightist, and surely don’t want to be portrayed as a leftist. I would like to describe myself as someone standing on the left of the center.
I was dismayed seeing Yogesh Bhattrai of UML defeated in the election. I would love to see folks like Gagan Thapa in the leading positing of the NC. I was happy to see the likes of Govinda Raj Joshi, Chiranjivi Wagle and Khum Bahadur Khadka and many other old faces of Nepali Congress and UML defeated in the polls. I am sad that Bijay Kumar Gachhedar and Hridiesh Tripathi won the election.
I agree with all points stated by Gaule_Hero above and want to say that the point number 2 applies with current leadership of UML as well. I want vibrant political parties with leadership that is refreshed in a regular interval.
I am glad that you couldn’t figure out my political party because I don’t want to be associated with any of the parties because I am in such a profession that demands neutrality and equal treatment to all parties. Yes, you can vote to only one party (or at most two in the recent polls) and you must make a choice. But that’s it and when I get out of the polling station I am back to my reporting. You never know when you have to interview a Maoist leader or a RPP Nepal activist. (Actually that was exactly what happened in the morning a day before the polls: I was talking to a Maoist leader in her campaign office at around 7 and translating the interview of a leader of RPP Nepal after two hours for an international news organization.)
I am strongly a pro-freedom of expression and for competitive multiparty democratic principles. If anyone tries to undermine those basic pillars (be it by Gyanendra or Girija or Prachanda or Madhav Nepal), I get agitated.
Thanks for your reply Dinesh. Yeah, you being a journalist, have to be neutral. Media plays a big role in any kind of movements these days. If media starts being bias to one person or a party, then people may get misled. Keep up your work !!!
well,
wagle get ready for your real battle. Gyanendra and Prachanda’s control on the media if there were any are cholds play compared to what the maoists will do.
Wa-gle neutral is that a joke. With his tirade and personal hatred against the monarchy how is that neutral. By the way, may be morons cant guess who you voted for but i can vouch you gave the congress the vote FPP and the maoists in the proportional.
I most certainly agree with Commoner.Krishna Prasad Sitaula is the spoon of Prachanda;this is one of the many reasons why NC lost. The other reason is that NC has too many oldies. Nepal needs new leadership like Narhari Acharya, NP Saud, Dr. PS Mahat,Nidhi..I for one, think that the leaders of old NC-D are far better than those of the old NC.
Do hell with GP koirala and i ‘m glad sUSHIL Koirala lost.The Koiralas have hogged this nation for too long.These two need to go.
I think the main reason for the big parties defeat in the CA poll is the search of a new governance. The idleness and incapabilities shown by the old and effete parties for the past 10 years had built up so much frustration in the people that it came as a Tsunami that swept away foundations.
and wa_gle thinks there’s democracy in the maoist party. this is the same way that maoists are victorious – personal ranting against the king, now against girija – why not help the maos to wipe out the congress as well – have’nt you lot done them enough favours already?
lets see an article wa-gle on your take on the democratic credentials of the maos. you seem to think by letting a beauty pagent go ahead that is enough to convince you, but congress is not at all democratic enough for you. come on lets see an article on the democratic standards of the maos.
lets begin wa_gle –
is prachanda the gyanendra of the maoist party?
come on buddy, what say you?
or is he a wonderful democrat, upholding universal human rights and free competition within his party leave alone the nation?
or maybe we are surroinded by “gyanendras” in all parties, what are you waiting for – go at it – think everyone is gyanendra so that you can get your “most ubiased” views posted.
The foolish and opportunist Girija is successful to destroy his own party for power hungerness. He has raped this nation for long time by handovering many rivers and surrendering sovereignity to Delhi durbar. This is why people have punished him through ballots to wipe him out from the politics. How he will show his face infront of people is yet to be seen ????
Finally Wagle is honest abt NC. Girija is certainly a liability to not just to this nation but also to his own party. Serves him right and his cronies. I am also extremely pleased to see Sujata defeated. I hope Maoist forms their own version of anti corruption unit and tries all these politicians for plundering the country.
Dinesh ji,
I was looking for this blog knowing that you blog. Thanks for the magic google. The problem with NC is not having democracy inside the party and GP’s desire to transfer legecy to corrupt sujata. People never believed that NC will ever stand for republic Nepal. Their time to time changing speeches created more confusion.
Yes. Wagle jee,
You are right but please remove prejudice and ponder of New Nepal