'It will prevent formation of left alliance'
KATHMANDU, MARCH 29
The central working committee of the ruling Nepali Congress today unanimously decided to forge poll alliance with other coalition partners in local elections scheduled for May 13.
NC Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat told mediapersons after the conclusion of the CWC meeting here today that the party would forge poll alliance with other coalition partners based on the need and local situation keeping in mind the political strength of parties. This decision of the ruling party comes in the backdrop of party leaders' opposition to the idea of poll alliance.
Earlier, the Shekhar Koirala faction of the party had said that the NC should not forge poll alliance with any party as that could lead to decline of the party's influence at local levels.
Mahat said the rumour that there were two opinions within the party about the poll alliance was false, as the CWC took a unanimous decision to forge poll alliance with other coalition partners.
NC leaders' remarks that it should not ally with coalition partners, particularly the CPN-Maoist Centre and the CPN (Unified Socialist), had riled leaders of these two parties and led to a verbal spat between leaders of the NC and the CPN-MC.
NC Vice President Dhanraj Gurung had compared his party to an elephant and CPN-MC and CPN (US) to bats trying to take shelter under the elephant's ear.
CPN-MC leader Barshaman Pun said if the NC boasted of its strength, they had the power to dislodge it from power. Though there is no love lost between the UML and the two communist parties, CPN-MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal had said chances of forging poll alliance with the CPN-UML were still there.
Mahat said NC would form mechanisms at central, provincial, constituency, and district levels to streamline the process of forging poll alliance. He said concerned committees would take a call on poll alliance.
CPN-MC leader Dev Prasad Gurung said the NC's decision to forge poll alliance with other coalition partners was a natural move. "It is natural for coalition partners to collaborate with each other on all major issues," he said. He added that coalition partners would later sit and discuss principles on which the seat sharing arrangement could be made.
CPN (US) leader Ganga Lal Tuladhar said, "The ruling alliance was formed to protect the constitution, political system, and federalism.
We protested together in the streets and fought a court battle to form a new government. The decision to forge alliance is a step in the right direction. Had the will of those opposed to it prevailed, we would have to form another coalition."
Political analyst Puranjan Acharya said the NC decision to tie up with other coalition partners at the ground level was pragmatic and farsighted.
"The decision is pragmatic as it gives authority to local committees to decide who should leave seats for which coalition partner on the basis of their political strength," Acharya said. "Had the NC toed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's line to forge poll alliance at the central level allotting percentage of seats between coalition partners, that could have ruined NC's politics."
Acharya said the NC's decision to forge poll alliance with other coalition partners would prevent formation of left alliance.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 30, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
