Karnali Government Crisis: Congress and NCP Clash Over Chief Minister Post

Surkhet. While the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal were registering a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Yamlal Kandel in Karnali on Asar 32, there were discussions about a coalition between the left parties in Kathmandu. NCP coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' was publicly stating that a coalition would be formed with the UML in the province. However, leaders of his party, NCP Karnali, were moving forward with the intention of removing Yamlal from the Chief Minister's post by any means necessary, exercising their autonomy. NCP Provincial Chairman Vimla KC, Parliamentary Party Leader Mangal Bahadur Shahi, and Chief Whip Krishna Bahadur GC stated that they had already registered a no-confidence motion against UML's party leader and Chief Minister Kandel in alliance with the Congress and would not back down. They insisted that regardless of any decision made by the center, they should not retreat for the sake of morality and should instead exercise their autonomy. On Asar 31, Yamlal himself called NCP party leader Shahi and said, 'There is talk of a coalition between the UML and NCP at the center, pay attention.' As Kandel is a central secretary of the party, that information would naturally reach him. According to a UML leader, even on Friday evening, they were told, 'The UML and NCP are discussing such matters at the center, withdraw the no-confidence motion.' However, the NCP leaders did not back down, stating that no decision had been made at the center and they had not received any instructions. Their statement was, 'Yamlal harassed us a lot when he was in power.' On the other hand, although the Congress was a coalition partner, it had been uncooperative in all of Kandel's actions. Therefore, the game to remove Kandel from power had started between the opposition NCP and Congress a month ago. The NCP was ready to accept Congress Parliamentary Party Leader Jeevan Bahadur Shahi as Chief Minister. However, it was determined to remove Kandel from power. Finally, when the NCP did not 'back' down, Kandel addressed the parliament on Saturday and resigned from the post of Chief Minister. According to sources, before entering parliament, Kandel told Oli and Prachanda over the phone, 'Okay, I will resign now, but later all the things you do at the center may not be implemented at the local level.' Immediately after his resignation, a three-point agreement came between Oli and Prachanda at the center. This agreement put a 'brake' on the dream of Congress Parliamentary Party Leader Jeevan Bahadur Shahi becoming Chief Minister, and the leadership of the Karnali government went to the NCP. With this agreement, the cooperation between NCP and Congress in Karnali ended. If the political agreement at the center is implemented, Mangal Bahadur Shahi, the NCP Parliamentary Party Leader, will be appointed Chief Minister of Karnali by Tuesday evening. Province Chief Yagyaraj Joshi has called for claims to be submitted by 5 PM on Tuesday. However, the NCP's previous 'talk of autonomy' and its stance to remove Kandel from power at any cost has now become a burden for them. The UML also does not find it very palatable to move forward by making the party that was instrumental in overthrowing its government its partner. One of the NCP's MPs said that the central agreement has put the NCP leaders, who publicly criticized Yamlal, in a difficult situation. 'We had said that such discussions are happening at the center, perhaps we should not be hasty,' the MP says, 'but our friends started talking about autonomy, and now there's a mess.' The MP states that the NCP leaders are restless due to the compulsion of having to accept the decision imposed by the center. As of the preparation of this news, NCP leaders have not dared to talk to UML party leader Kandel themselves. Chidhed, Kandel, after his humiliating exit from power due to the NCP, believes that the current political crisis will prevent the coalition between the two parties from progressing smoothly. UML MP Binod Kumar Shah, who is also the government spokesperson, said that they do not like the agreement reached at the center. 'When an agreement has been reached at the center for cooperation between the NCP and UML, the UML has no claim here,' Shah says, 'but we do not like the central decision; it is not easily digestible for UML Karnali.' He stated that Kandel had to resign due to the NCP. Shah recalls, 'We told them (NCP) to 'back' down and withdraw the no-confidence motion, but they did not agree. Because they did not agree, the Chief Minister had to resign.' He clarified that the situation is not easy now due to the NCP. Although there is no obstacle to implementing the central decision, Shah says they are in great difficulty because of the party that has decided to become a partner. He said that it depends on how the NCP brings the agreement that the Chief Minister will be from the NCP and what they do. 'Now the ball is in their court; it depends on how they play the ball,' he said. Even though the NCP leaders are not happy because the central government has forcibly pushed for cooperation with the UML, after they had already formed a coalition with the Congress in the province and forced the UML Chief Minister to resign. NCP Parliamentary Party Chief Whip Krishna Bahadur GC says that he does not think the cooperation with the UML, which is happening under compulsion, will proceed smoothly. In his view, cooperation should be done with a clear heart from the beginning. He said that problems could arise later if the previous resentment remains. 'It is complicated when you are told to immediately turn back after taking a step,' he adds about the previous situation, 'after trusting to some extent and making a partner, it was not right to leave midway.' He also said that if everything is done by the center, the province has no significance. 'If leaders are called to the center, decisions are made there, and they are followed there, then the province can be abolished; there is no work,' he said. NCP Provincial Chairman Vimla KC says that there is no alternative but to implement the agreement reached at the party center. 'The UML will naturally look for excuses, and it is not easy to support the same people who overthrew them,' KC says, 'the situation is not easy.' She said that they would make the difficult situation easier. 'It is natural to feel uncomfortable when supporting and joining the government of those who brought a no-confidence motion and overthrew the government,' she says, 'especially UML party leader Kandel might feel uncomfortable.' However, she said that no one has the right to deviate from the party's decision, even if Kandel is angry. Leaders of both parties were called to Kathmandu as problems arose in the province. As problems were foreseen in the Karnali political developments, the center has called leaders of both parties to Kathmandu for discussions. NCP party leader Shahi and UML party leader Kandel went to Kathmandu on Sunday morning. Both leaders are talking to their respective party chairmen. NCP party leader Shahi said he met with his coordinator Prachanda. 'We discussed contemporary issues,' he said. He also said that he met with the UML chairman and would return to Surkhet on Tuesday to stake a claim for the Chief Ministership. However, he has not had any formal dialogue with UML Provincial Parliamentary Party Leader Kandel so far.