Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 14:

Lack of intra-party democratic exercises by political parties has “enervated” hard-earned democracy of the past 12 years, but it is not appropriate to carp as all democratic processes stand derailed since the King’s February 1 move, said political scientists, intellectuals and leaders of various political parties today.

In a keynote speech on Institutional Development of Political Parties and Agenda for Development, organised by Media for Peace and Good Governance, former minister Nilambar Acharya said nobody could expect internal democracy in political parties when the state had put a spoke in their wheels.

“I don’t subscribe to the views that the country ended up in the lap of autocracy due to lack of internal democracy in the political parties. It did due to the Palace’s perennial political ambitions and the Maoists’ extreme leftism,” he said.

Acharya wagged a finger at the parties, saying they ought to realise they need major changes in intra-party activities. He added civil society should support the seven-party alliance which has vowed to restore democracy.

“If the current situation continues, I doubt that democracy will return within three years,” Acharya said. “In fact, the three years’ period has been sought to dismantle existing democratic norms and values.”

Acharya said the King first became “active” by sacking the elected prime minister

on October 4, 2002, and started “direct rule” after February 1, 2005.

Presenting a paper on Political Parties and Democracy, professor Yagya Adhikari lamented that when in power the parties did not bother to effect changes in the state mechanism or tailor it to suit democratic norms. They remained power hungry, kept indulging in politicisation of the state’s sensitive organs and mollycoddled a coterie which dominated decision-making.

Adhikari advised the parties to bring out a white paper on major achievements and wrongdoings during 12 years of democracy. He also stressed the need for replacing the party leadership that failed on policy matters, time and again.

Commenting on Adhikari’s paper, CPN-UML central leader Shankar Pokharel said intra-party democracy failed to flourish due to the lack of charismatic leadership and institutional development.

Former secretary Bhojraj Pokharel, commenting on Adhikari’s paper, opined that the political parties, who played key roles in restoring democracy, did not have a clear vision or goal as to what they were going to do after the 1990s’ political change. He added that they also failed to highlight the Brownie points they had gained after restoration of democracy. “This is the best chance for the parties to learn lessons from their mistakes.”