Hazy maze

Even as the power play politics is making headline news, the adamancy seen in the rhetoric of the leaders of every party has reached thunderous proportions. In all that, nothing is seen that can help in the completion and promulgation of the constitution by the slated date of May 28. In all this bizarre mixture of politics that has emerged after the rather conciliatory tone in the first few days after Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala passed away, the spirit of camaraderie has but reverted to that of the former times. Even as the swings in the change of guards is being widely discussed in close circles, no authoritative words have come out apart from the speculative ones. In this context, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has come open to say that he is not going to quit on a shy note considering the extensive parleys that he has had with the various party leaders. In this, the UML-led government does not see eye to eye with the UCPN (M) which has only one thing to say that the government must make way for one under its leadership. Now, that sounds a tall order when the developments do not support a new government when barely 53 days remain for the new statute to come into force. On this issue also various comments have been made from the possibility of getting the job done to one that talks of the extension of the Constituent Assembly. However, one thing is for sure that the ground base is fragile for the broad-based all inclusive democratic constitution to be ready for promulgation on the scheduled date.

Herein, the past few days have been quite revealing as far as the top leaders of the major parties are concerned. If words are out of the somewhat muted peace in the Nepali Congress party, the UML too has been in the news for more reasons than which reflects its satisfaction over the government that it leads. As for the Maoists, they always make it to the headlines whatever the reason may be. They have a point that they are the largest single party to have been endorsed by the CA election. Despite this ranking and its tenure in the government earlier, it remains in the opposition yearning to get into the hot seat of power which is proving elusive. Now, late Koirala was a leader to reckon with can be seen in the outpouring of praise as tributes to him by every party leader across the line. What was remarkable on the condolence meeting on the 15th day of the death of Koirala was that the leaders took it as an opportunity to dwell on the man that Koirala was. But, reading between the lines brought out what they have in mind to chart out the future course of the country.

It is true that Koirala had been a true "towering personality", despite the inherent weaknesses, who had mesmerized the leaders in his own way. With that umbrella gone, the time is for the leaders to find a common platform that late Koirala had been able to achieve to some extent. Harping their own tunes in their own turf will not bring results. Like all the leaders who mattered in national politics coming together in paying homage, they could come together when the matter concerns the drafting of the country's constitution and stemming the tides of uncertainty that they themselves are responsible for.

Bitter pill

After the sugar mills could not buy their sugar farmers in Nawalparasi have abandoned growing sugarcane and turned to cultivating tobacco. Although the farmers would be earning more from selling sugarcane since they had no market for this harvest they have been compelled to seek alternatives, that is grow tobacco. At a time when there is scarcity of sugar in the market and apparently this item of daily necessity is very much in demand, it is ironic that farmers have been forced to cultivate other crops although there should be a good market for sugarcane. Apart from this, it is said by the farmers that it is easier to cultivate sugarcane than tobacco, so the farmers obviously with much reluctance have stopped growing sugarcane.

Thus, the farmers have now chosen to grow tobacco as an alternative crop for their livelihood. Meanwhile, the authorities should carry out a probe as

to why the sugar mills in the district have stopped

operating and purchasing sugar cane. There must

be something amiss. Since farmers earn more by growing sugarcane this needs to be looked into.