Criminalised politics, politicised institutions

Leaders need money to finance elections to secure victory for their cronies, relatives and sycophants.

A current case of national curiosity is whether or not central bank Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari is the same person named M Adhikari who is designated as a member of the finance and planning department of the main opposition party the CPN-UML. Section 21 (a) of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act 2002 debars a "member or official of a political party" from assuming the position of governor, deputy governor or member of the board. In recent weeks, the nation is witnessing an all out effort by his detractors to establish that Mr M can be none other than Mr Maha Prasad, and also a feeble defence by Governor Adhikari himself and his appointer the UML.