Kathmandu, August 27 Every prime minister makes lofty announcements when assuming office and Pushpa Kamal Dahal is no exception. Can he, however prove an exception? He is now identifying problems and giving instructions, according to his chief political adviser Chakrapani Khanal. As Dahal is continuously following up on his instructions, he will be able to give results, Khanal claimed. After being elected on August 3, it took Dahal one month to give full shape to the government with a 31-member cabinet. Khanal said Dahal has categorised his challenges into three groups. First category are the political challenges that range from bringing disgruntled groups to the mainstream by amending the constitution and holding all three levels of elections. As the main opposition CPN-UML appears to be rigid in its opposition to statute amendment, convincing the party to accept amendment will be a big challenge. Before holding local, provincial and federal elections, the government needs to forge consensus on the boundaries of local bodies and provinces. Boundaries of three VDCs of Nawalparasi and 11 VDCs of Rukum are yet to be demarcated to clear the boundaries of Pradeshes 4, 5 and 6 as envisaged in the constitution. These works must be accomplished to clear the way for the polls. Second, Dahal’s success depends on whether he can set the base for long-term economic development and implement big projects and agreements with India and China. Dahal will need determination, able bureaucracy and balanced relations with India and China for this. “Managing various things at the micro-level will be necessary to achieve results,” said political analyst Professor Lok Raj Baral. “Amending the constitution to bring disgruntled groups into the mainstream is the biggest challenge for Dahal. Since, the UML’s political future is also linked with how it sees the issues of Madhesis, marginalised and the Dalits, there is no way for the party but to agree on constitution amendment,” Baral said. However, Dahal’s ability to persuade the UML will be vital, he said. The third challenge is increasing capital expenditure of the budget and expediting development works. CPN-UML leader and former finance minister Surendra Pande said, “Bigger possibility of increase in general expenditure with increase in salary and allowances for groups like senior citizens; and the lower possibility of increase in capital expenditure, given capacity of the government mechanism, indicate that this government will deliver very little.” Delay in the release of budget due delay in passing three budget-related bills and delay in giving the government complete shape will be other major causes of low capital expenditure, Pande said. “Inability to increase capital expenditure and growth rate will result in unavoidable inflation.”