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The Nepalese power composition has changed following the historic election to the Constituent Assembly. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has emerged as the largest political party following the CA election- largest at least in the common sense in the Nepalese context. The previous two largest political parties- Nepali Congress and CPN (Unified Marxist-Leninist)- had to face an unexpected humiliating defeat that put them in the second and third respective orders of the power hierarchy.
The present government came into existence in a political context in which both the power composition and power hierarchy were different from those in today’s political context. Portfolio distribution, while forming the present coalition government, was based on the then power composition and power hierarchy. With the end of the old political context, there has also been an end to the basis for the present coalition government. The next government must be based on the present power composition and power hierarchy. The political composition of the next government must be determined by the power hierarchy that has emerged in the ensuing post-CA poll context. It is at least this fact that necessitates the formation of a new government.
What is the next government for? One answer would be that it is for facilitating the process involved in drafting and endorsing a constitution by the newly created Constituent Assembly. However, it is wrong to think that the facilitation of the process in question is its only responsibility. To the contrary, some argue that because the CA election, as the term itself would suggest, was intended for drafting a new constitution, there would be no reason to expect development in its broadest sense from the post-CA poll government.
There would be two counterarguments against this view. Let me put the first one thus: why did a huge number of voters participate in the recently held election to the Constituent Assembly? Those who subscribe to the argument in question would definitely say that they cast their vote without expecting more than the drafting of a new constitution. Though this assumption is yet to be empirically substantiated, on account of the difficulty in undertaking the relevant research, it is safe from criticism thus far because its counterassumption (the assumption that people voted with a view to achieving two things- development and a people-oriented constitution) is yet to be empirically proved.
It is true that both the assumption in question and its counter assumption, despite the fact that one of them is certainly correct, are not derived from a logical-empirical process. They are no more than a corollary that followed from their own assumption independent of the fact. Second, it is wrong to think that the next government and the Constituent Assembly are meant to serve the same function. The argument in question would suggest that there will not be any government until a new constitution is drafted and endorsed by the Constituent Assembly. This may also suggest that, though there will be a government, its job is not to govern the country or to address the social and economic problems. This argument stems from a lack of apprehension of the fact that, though the post-CA poll government has an indirect relation with the drafting of a new constitution, it must primarily concern itself with the solution to the socio-economic problems facing the country.
What is the government for? The answer to this question in the Nepalese context would be that it is for addressing the socioeconomic problems facing the country. What is the post-CA poll government for? Of course, it is also intended to ensure that a new constitution is drafted through the Constituent Assembly. But, at the same time, it must be borne in mind that it should not be confined to the facilitation of the drafting of a new constitution.
If it is true that the post-CA poll government will be extremely busy facilitating the formation of a new constitution, one may claim that the only thing it should do is the facilitation of a new constitution on the grounds that it will not have time to pay heed to other things. But, the truth is opposite. If the government pays attention to the drafting (going beyond the facilitation of the formation) of a new constitution, what is the Constituent Assembly for? It is not the government but the Constituent Assembly that should be more obsessed with the drafting of a new constitution than with any other things. The post-CA election government will have enough time to address the socio-economic problems to the extent possible.
The developmental situation of the country has deteriorated to such an extent that it is absolutely impossible to bring about the kind of development that completely addresses the economic problems facing the country overnight. But, the next government will definitely be able to make the country move in the right direction towards development if it is committed to people.
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Ajit Rai
I take a deep interest in development and underdevelopment as well as in politics, especially in its relation to economics. Currently, I am undertaking systematic research, and intend to theorize about Nepalese development and underdevelopment from a socio-philosophical approach.
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