No small wonder

Even the emergent forces in Nepali politics seem ever-ready to sacrifice their cherished beliefs and public trust.

If something brings Nepal’s political parties together, it is their common desperation for executive power. Notwithstanding their differing ideological backgrounds and histories, they seem to be bound by an unfathomable greed for plum ministerial positions. What seemed nigh impossible just a month ago is playing out for real in front of our eyes—the coming together of the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre). The term “communist” in the names of these parties is deceptive, for they are now yoked together in the new government not because of any ideological affinity or common vision but by the sheer lust for power. Even the smaller parties, especially the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, were eager to join the government. Nevermind that they were this time mandated to stay out of the government and to play the role of a constructive opposition. Not only did they not want to stay in the opposition, they seemed ever-ready to sacrifice on their core values to get to the government.