No desire to become prime minister

 No desire to become prime minister

While I was going through the Kathmandu Post of various dates,  I noticed an interesting article by Anil Giri published on February 14, 2020 about Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, Chairperson of Nepal Communist Party (CPM), I could not resist myself for sharing in my blog for my regular readers.

Without elaborating this article, I decided to summarize only the main events which are included in Anil Giri’s article.

  The chairman has an identity crisis

Pushpa Kamal Dahal is torn between his two selves: an insidious, crafty Prachanda who will go on the offensive to get what he wants, and a gentle, pragmatic Pushpa Kamal who can placate opposing factions and win over the media.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal is a man divided.

At the final session of Kantipur Conclave last week, Pushpa Kamal, dressed in a dark suit with a matching topi and a silk tie, appeared relaxed and confident, speaking at length about himself, his journey and his ambitions.

“I have no desire to become prime minister any time soon,” he said.

But Pushpa Kamal had only just put Prachanda to rest. In vying for power with co-chair and prime minister KP Sharma Oli, Prachanda had pulled off a Machiavellian feat, turning Oli’s former UML allies against him. Prachanda’s man, Agni Sapkota, became Speaker of the House of Representatives over Oli’s choice of Subas Nembang.

“He seized the offensive,” Lekhnath Poudel, a central committee member of the party told the Post on Sunday, describing Dahal’s tactics.

 Continue reading : https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2020/02/14/the-chairman-has-an-identity-crisis

 

 

Prachanda remains torn between becoming the consummate politician and remaining the quintessential commander. 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Prachanda speaks to journalists at his first appearance in Baluwatar.

 

 

Pushpa Kamal Dahal with former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the reception after the latter's oath taking ceremony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Maoist leaders Baburam Bhattarai (left), Prachanda and Mohan Baidya observe a minute's silence for martyrs during a mass gathering at Khula Manch in Kathmandu.

 

Prachanda (Centre), Mohan Baidya (left) and Baburam Bhattarai at the inauguration of the first PLA meeting in Rolpa in 2002.

This photo released by Nepal Army was the first picture of Prachanda (far right) that surfaced in public. Pictured also are Prakash Dahal (left), Baburam Bhattarai, Hisila Yami and Ram Bahadur Thapa.

Pampha Bhusal (left), Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Sita Dahal and Prachanda with other leaders

 

 

 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal water a sapling after officially announcing the unification of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) at the City Hall. 

     

(From left) Prachanda does a red salute during a training for guerrilla commanders in Rukum in 2002. He addresses a mass assembly at the Khula Manch in Kathmandu. He speaks at one of the sessions at the Kantipur Conclave 2020.

For those who thought that Prachanda had been buried, the election of Agni Sapkota as Speaker was an eye-opener. Dahal might appear to have transitioned almost completely to Pushpa Kamal, but an inkling of Prachanda remains within, only to come out when no one is really expecting it.

“Dahal is an opportunist and he speaks and acts in whatever manner that suits him,” said KC, the veteran communist leader. “It is due to his ambition and his personal interest. Prachanda manifests whenever he gets an opportunity.” 

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