BIRATNAGAR, June 26: Nepal's traditional political parties have begun preparations to form a united front against the government.
The move comes after the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)-led government started arresting leaders, cadres and businesspersons affiliated with older parties under various charges, prompting the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) and Madhesh-based parties to explore a joint alliance.
NCP coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal disclosed the plan while addressing a party meeting and cadre training programme organized by the NCP Koshi Province committee in Biratnagar on Friday.
Dahal said he has been holding discussions with leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhes-based parties to build a united front for a movement against the government.
He said leaders of all those parties have shown a positive response toward the proposed alliance.
Dahal also said the issue was discussed with NC leader Shekhar Koirala in Biratnagar. According to Dahal, he visited Koirala's residence on Friday to discuss the formation of a joint front against the government.
Dahal was accompanied by NCP co-coordinator Madhav Kumar Nepal, who was also in Biratnagar for a party programme, during the meeting with Koirala on Friday.
NC forms own alliance, six parties to join
The meeting lasted around 45 minutes. Leaders of the traditional parties have grown increasingly concerned after the government began arresting political leaders and businesspersons in connection with corruption and money laundering cases.
The government recently arrested CPN-UML Vice Chair Bishnu Paudel. Likewise, the passport of businessman Ajeya Sumargi, who is considered close to the NCP, has also been suspended.
A source close to Koirala said Dahal and Nepal visited Koirala's residence to discuss the issue.
Sumargi is regarded as being close to Dahal. According to the source, Dahal may have become increasingly concerned after the government sought to bring Sumargi under investigation. Dahal also said he has been holding regular discussions with leaders of the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, including party chair Upendra Yadav.
Cooperation with UML in elections
Dahal said the NCP and the CPN-UML would cooperate in the upcoming provincial and local elections.
He said the NCP plans to unify with other smaller communist parties while working together with the UML in Parliament, on the streets, and during provincial and local elections.
Dahal also claimed that the NCP's upcoming unity convention would bring a major break from past practices. Referring to criticism that the same leaders have remained in power for too long, he said that would no longer be the case.
According to him, the party leadership is preparing a strategy to establish a strong new generation of leaders and hand over responsibility to younger members.
He said the leadership is working on a plan to transfer party leadership to the younger generation and build a renewed party.
Seeking to reassure party cadres, Dahal said, "We will once again lead the country, so you should remain confident." He also urged them to watch how his "final break from the past" unfolds during the upcoming general convention.
Claims of pressure on the President
Dahal also claimed that the RSP is exerting undue pressure on President Ram Chandra Paudel to resign.
He alleged that the President may not be able to remain in office for much longer, saying the RSP has been applying "abnormal pressure" for him to step down.
Dahal further accused the RSP of attempting to weaken democratic and republican forces while steering the country toward an authoritarian neoliberal system.
He also thanked the RSP for, in his view, exposing its true character within just a few months of forming a near two-thirds majority government.
According to Dahal, the government's policies have revealed its approach toward landless people, Madhesis, indigenous communities, the poor and other marginalized groups.
He added that people are now able to see and experience the government's true nature, arguing that the budget introduced by the RSP-led administration primarily benefits wealthy citizens and the upper segment of the middle class, rather than low-income and ordinary middle-class families.
