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UML’s mass gathering last Friday betrayed a sense of insecurity against the critics of the Oli government.

Prime Minister and CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli likes to project an image of a decisive leader. This much-valued leadership trait often works to his advantage. Yet when he makes decisions on the fly, it can backfire just as often. This past Friday, the UML held a mass gathering in the national capital in order to “raise awareness against anarchy”. Many found it curious that the party leading the national government would call for such a gathering: Shouldn’t the prime minister be focusing on delivery and leave all the protests and rallies to opposition forces? The real reason behind the rally, as party insiders put it, was the UML’s desire to “project strength” at a time of widespread public disenchantment. The rally and the eventual gathering at Durbar Marg, it was hoped, would send an unmistakable signal to other political forces that the party is still a potent force capable of mobilising big masses at short notice. Such a show of strength had apparently become vital after much smaller forces like the Rastriya Swatantra Party and even some troublemakers associated with Durga Prasai were seen hitting the streets in order to “sow anarchy”.