Deluge of deputies

Top leaders continue to prefer the symbolism of attractive posts to the substance of delivery.

The reckless distribution of deputy prime minister positions and the way some parties in the ruling coalition have refused to join the government after being denied ‘plum’ ministries are not signs of a stable­, long-lasting government. The country now has four deputy prime ministers—with perhaps one or two more waiting in the wings. In terms of their roles and responsibilities, a deputy prime minister does pretty much the same things as a regular minister. There is also not much difference in terms of their pay and perks. Yet the partner parties in the ruling coalition have made securing a deputy prime minister for one of their own a matter of prestige. Given the country’s mixed electoral system, absolute majority of any one party (or two) will continue to be elusive. As such, Nepal’s federal governments will continue to be rainbow coalitions of parties from all over the political spectrum. And based on current trends, to manage such disparate coalitions, the prime minister will be forced into making all kinds of unwanted political bargains.