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The adage that there are no permanent enemies and no permanent friends, only permanent interests in politics could explain many a twist in shifting political alliances across the democratic world. But it would only be an understatement in Nepali politics, where the art of coalition making has for long been a farce. On Saturday, incumbent Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) predictably lost a trust vote, after only 63 of the 275-member House of Representatives backed him, while 194 lawmakers voted against the motion of confidence. The loss was a foregone conclusion after the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) led by Khadka Prasad Oli — he has been made the Prime Minister again — withdrew support from the CPN(MC)-led government and joined hands with the opposition Nepali Congress, led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. Mr. Dahal had managed to hold his post for close to two years, and after surviving three trust votes — all necessitated by his decision to change partners. The CPN(MC) had formed the government after the November 2022 elections, despite finishing a distant third and Mr. Dahal had managed to do so by exploiting the differences between the Deuba-led NC and the Oli-led CPN(UML). These two parties won 89 and 78 seats, respectively, in 2022, and have now formed a coalition government with the arrangement that Mr. Oli and Mr. Deuba will share the post of Prime Minister, each for half of the remaining term.
Ever since Nepal transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one in 1990, and then to a full-fledged republic in 2008, its democratic polity has been marked by instability and constant changes in power, leading to poor governance. Despite the institution of constitutional reforms related to federalism and guaranteed representation for marginalised forces following a civil war and the overthrow of the monarchy, the outcomes have been a perpetuation of the country’s status as a “least developed country”. It is quite evident that the leadership of the three major parties have shown more interest in sticking to power by any means irrespective of whether they are driven by pre-poll coalitions or not. Besides, the inherent instability in a parliamentary system that reflects social fissures in the country has led to a form of coalition politics that is driven less by ideological or principled considerations and more by a hankering towards power. Such instability and an unprincipled pursuit of power will only result in more disillusionment among the Nepali people with the democratic process. Nepal can perhaps be better off with a presidential system that allows for a directly elected head of state.
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Unprincipled alliances: The Hindu Editorial on politics in Nepal
