By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Almost four months after they walked out of the government and waged war on the election, Maoists in Nepal have returned to the ruling coalition, pledging to give top priority to the polls.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is swearing in the ministers Monday afternoon, marking a new twist in Nepal’s political drama on New Year’s Eve.
The former outlaws, who had fought a decade-old guerrilla war to overthrow Nepal’s 238-year-old institution of monarchy, had their first taste of victory last year when they allied with the opposition parties to overthrow King Gyanendra’s 14-month regime through a peaceful national uprising.
The peaceful protests ended the insurgency and the Maoists signed a peace pact, paving the way for them to join the government on April 1.
The timing proved inauspicious and the rebels quit on Sep 18, accusing King Gyanendra of inciting violence in the Terai plains.
In October, they started a battle in parliament, asking for the abolition of monarchy and the adoption of a fully proportional electoral system.
They also warned they would not allow the Nov 22 election to be held if the demands were not met, forcing the government to defer the polls for the second time.
After over three months’ wrangling, during which international pressure mounted on the government to resolve the dispute, Koirala finally sought a compromise.
On Friday, the government declared Nepal, once a Hindu kingdom, a federal republic. In return, the Maoists agreed to go to the hustings using a mixed election system and return to the government to make the exercise possible.
Moving fast, Maoist chief Prachanda Saturday submitted the names of Maoist ministerial candidates to the PM and the cabinet endorsed them Sunday.
However, Koirala blocked the name of two new ministers proposed by the rebels.
After the swearing-in, the rebels would have their old strength in the cabinet with five ministers.
Four of the former Maoists ministers remain unchanged: Krishna Bahadur Mahara, chief of the Maoist parliamentary party, who was also information and communications minister, Hisila Yami, physical planning and works minister, Dev Gurung, local development minister and Matrika Prasad Yadav, forest and soil conservation minister.
The new face is that of senior woman leader Pampa Bhushal, who replaces earlier minister for women, children and social development Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma.
Bhushal had been earlier named ambassador to France but the appointment was stalled after France objected, concerned about the status of the Maoists when they left the government and opposed the election.
Prachanda had also wanted Nabin Bishwokarma and Padam Rai to be ministers of state but the government rejected the nominations.
Along with the five ministers, two more state ministers will also be sworn in as full-fledged ministers. They are water resources minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, and labour and transport minister Ramesh Lekhak.
Mahara told the media his party’s priority would be to hold the election.
The constituent assembly election, thought to be crucial for the peace process, will now be held by mid-April, the parties have pledged. However, they are yet to name a fresh date.
The rebels’ return to the cabinet comes amidst misgivings as to whether they would try to thwart the election again.
However, the timing is a little more auspicious than the first time they came in government.
Dec 31 is celebrated as national reconciliation day in Nepal to mark the return of exiled leaders and the start of a process of reconciliation almost three decades ago.