• by IPS Correspondents (kathmandu)
• Saturday, November 19, 1994
• Inter Press Service

KATHMANDU, Nov 19 (IPS) - NEPAL SATURDAY WAS POISED TO BECOME THE FIRST COMMUNIST MONARCHY IN THE WORLD AS THE OPPOSITION UNITED MARXIST LENINISTS (UML) CONSOLIDATED THEIR LEAD AND BEGAN PARLEYS WITH OTHER PARTY LEADERS TO FORM A GOVERNMENT.

THE UML WON 84 SEATS IN THE 205-MEMBER PARLIAMENT WITH 25 RESULTS STILL TO COME IN. THE RULING NEPAL CONGRESS PARTY CAME IN SECOND WITH 66 SEATS WHILE THE MONARCHIST RASHTRIYA PRAJATANTRA PARTY (RPP) INCREASED ITS SEATS TO A RESPECTABLE 17.

UML SOURCES SAID THEIR LEADERS WERE HOLDING TALKS WITH OTHER SENIOR POLITICIANS AND REBEL RULING CONGRESS PARTY CANDIDATES TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF FORMING A GOVERNMENT IF THEY DID NOT MUSTER THE REQUISITE 103 SEATS NEEDED TO COME TO POWER ON THEIR OWN.

PLAYING DOWN THE IDEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF A COMMUNIST VICTORY, UML PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY MADHAV KUMAR NEPAL SAID, "THE MAIN THRUST OF COMMUNISM IS MISUNDERSTOOD BY MANY."

"OUR UNDERSTANDING OF IT IS NO INJUSTICE, NO EXPLOITATION AND NO DISCRIMINATION," HE TOLD IPS. "IT IS YES TO INCREASING PRODUCTION, PRODUCTIVITY AND YES TO CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY."

NEPAL INDICATED HIS PARTY WAS IN FAVOUR OF A MIX OF COMMUNIST DISCIPLINE WITH FREE-MARKET ECONOMIC SENSE. "WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF ENCOURAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR," HE SAID.

NEPAL WAS ALSO QUICK TO CLARIFY THAT IDEOLOGY WOULD NOT DICTATE THE COUNTRY'S FOREIGN POLICY AND THAT "NATIONAL INTEREST" WOULD SERVE AS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

THE PARTY WON ON THE STRENGTH OF PROMISING JOBS AND REDISTRIBUTION OF LARGE LAND HOLDINGS AMONG NEPAL'S 19 MILLION PEOPLE, TWO THIRDS OF WHOM LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE.

THE OTHER ELECTION PLANK FAVOURED BY THE PARTY WAS THE EMOTIVE ISSUE OF NATIONAL PRIDE. THE UML STRESSED THAT THE CONGRESS HAD BEEN BENDING OVER BACKWARD TO ACCOMMODATE NEIGHBOURING INDIA THAT IS OFTEN PERCEIVED AS A REGIONAL BULLY BY PEOPLE IN THE TINY HIMALAYAN KINGDOM.

ANALYSTS SAID THE UML'S OPPOSITION TO THE TANKAPUR PACT THAT STIPULATES A WATER SHARING ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND THEIR PROTESTING AGAINST THE RAIDS CONDUCTED BY THE INDIAN POLICE ON HOMES IN THIS CAPITAL CITY ALSO COULD HAVE TURNED THE TIDE IN THEIR FAVOUR.

THE TANKAPUR TREATY HAS YET TO BE RATIFIED BY PARLIAMENT AND WILL BE AMONG THE FIRST TASKS THE UML WILL HAVE TO UNDERTAKE ONCE IT FORMS THE GOVERNMENT.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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