Prospects of Nepals communist government
Lal Khan
Nepal, a tiny Himalayan state has attained an increased relevance in the last few decades due to the geographical importance, being sandwiched between the two Asian giants, China and India. The final results of last weeks election bequeathed a landslide victory for Nepals left alliance of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Nepal Communist Party-Maoist Centre. The United Marxist Leninist (UML) communist party won 80 seats, in a federal parliament of 275 members (165 from direct contests and 110 from proportional representation). The Maoists have won 34 seats and were leading in two. The bourgeois Nepali Congress was routed with only 21 seats. These results in the electoral plane express resilience of the Nepalese people to fight back against the oppressive system.
Nepals centuries-old Hindu theocratic monarchy was abolished in aftermath of the mass uprising of 2006 and a pseudo-democratic rulership was installed. But instability and crisis have been unrelenting. However, the rotten Nepalese capitalism could bring no prosperity or improve living conditions of the oppressed classes of the country. Nepal has had 10 prime ministers in the past 11 years signalling the political instability emanating from the socioeconomic crisis. The UN estimates that 40 per cent of Nepalis live in absolute poverty. Food insecurity, poor housing, low soil quality, low literacy rates, natural disasters and ethnic discrimination plague the society. The oppressed masses brought the communists to power in their quest for salvation.
The Communist Alliances new Prime Minister KP Oli has had fraught relations with India for forging close links with China. India had backed the Nepalese Congress in these elections. Nepal will be the newest participant in Chinas policy of strategic and economic expansionism and become a part of Xi Jinpings ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) project. In his previous stint in power as a Prime Minister in October 2015, Oli decided to diversify Nepals dependence on Indian fuel, medicines and other commodities by signing an agreement to purchase one-third of this land-locked countrys needs from China. Oli had also led the protests against the Indian blockade and declared that Indias blockade of Nepal was wreaking havoc in the aftermath of the earthquake devastation.
India had criticised Oli and even backed the Maoists led by Prachanda not long ago, in 2016. As the pro- India Nepali Congress has been routed, on the eve of this result India tried to make-up with Oli after UMLs power-sharing agreement with Prachanda. But Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis much-lauded foreign policy of neighbourhood first seems to have hit the great wall of China. However, the harsh reality is that land-locked Nepal is heavily dependent on India for both its petroleum products and other essentials. Their bitter falling out in the past had hit the ordinary Nepalese masses that had to pay a heavy price for the Indian sanctions. Oli had turned to China for help and Beijing gladly obliged. But even after the agitation and blockade was over, Oli continued to play the China card. Kathmandu uses the same trick as most of Indias neighbours, using Beijing to fend off Delhi. The Nepalese monarchy also had a tradition of balancing Indias extensive hold by turning to China.
It was Delhis unease with Olis pro-China stand that had led to the covert operation to dislodge him through the Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba in 2015. Now with Oli coming to power again, China will spread its wings further into Indias backyard.
The writer is the editor of Asian
Marxist Review
