Opinion The centre that could not hold

Perhaps with the exception of his older brother B .P. Koirala,a veteran socialist known and respected all over the world,he confronted everyone inside the Nepali Congress or outside,and always emerged a winner. But ironically,he co-signed the policy of National Reconciliation that B.P. had announced after returning to Nepal on December 31,1976 at the end of an eight-year political exile in India. The message that came in the aftermath of Sikkim’s merger with India was clear — that Nepal’s democratic forces and the monarchy must join hands as “nationalism and democracy” can only supplement each other,but one cannot survive without the other.

Koirala was the youngest of the six children of K.P. and Dibya Koirala. He was born in Birpur (Saharsa),Bihar,in 1914 and then moved to Varanasi where his entire family had to settle down and struggle to exist. Their political activities against the Rana dynasty that exercised executive powers in Nepal made their stay in Nepal unsafe. This is where the Koiralas grew up,studied and where they were drawn towards Indian politics focused on independence.

B.P.,who was arrested during the Quit India Movement and jailed for three years,mobilised Nepali youth under the banner of the Nepali Congress and secured the support of Indian political leaders for the “overthrow” of the Rana regime that ruled for 104 years (1846-1950). A tripartite understanding mediated by Jawahar Lal Nehru was reached in Delhi,which would see Nepal’s transition to parliamentary democracy. As a result,the monarchy (of the Shah kings) was restored on the understanding that it will be acting as a figurative head of state.

Parallel to that development,the Koiralas tried to establish the family as a “democratic dynasty” in the mould of Gandhi-Nehrus in India,and B.P.’s personality and G.P.’s tireless devotion helped. The election to parliament in 1958 — the first after the Delhi agreement — saw the Nepali Congress catapulted to power with a two-thirds majority,and B.P. became PM.

But then began the tussle between an ambitious king and PM — equally ambitious and popular — leading to the dissolution of parliament and takeover by the king in December 1960 for 30 years. B.P. and G.P.,along with senior Congress leaders were jailed. While G.P,still a junior politician,was released early,others spent eight years in prison. G.P. negotiated with King Mahendra for his brother’s release,but the king showed no interest in a return to democracy,both moved to Delhi.

It was here that G.P,who was not only a constant companion,but had acquired trust and maturity over the years,began influencing B.P. and persuaded him to call for armed revolution in Nepal. B.P.,by conviction a believer in non-violence,relented and complied. G.P. in a controversial interview last year to a TV channel in Nepal,said he got his followers to hijack a Nepal Airlines plane and rob Rs 30 million to buy arms,and also got involved in manufacturing fake Indian currency in the early 1970s during his days in exile — all for the sake of revolution.

B.P.’s death in 1982 furthered his rising ambitions. G.P. was at the forefront of the successful movement for democracy in 1990 along with Ganeshman Singh and K.P. Bhattarai,both leaders of stature and B.P.’s friends. G.P. became PM in May 1991 when the Nepali Congress emerged victorious in the first election. Since then,he dominated politics and power for two decades,until his death.

G.P has been criticised as power-hungry,corrupt and nepotistic. King Gyanendra’s takeover in February 2005 and the polarisation of democratic forces against it brought him to centrestage. Not just Nepal,the international community recognised him as the sole leader of the democratic struggle.

With India’s support and mediation,he succeeded in getting Maoists to surrender arms and join the democratic process. Koirala took over as interim PM in April 2006,and bowed out of office after his party failed to secure majority.

The handover of power to Maoist chief Prachanda and abolition of the 240-year monarchy without any bloodshed was a triumph of democracy,but for Koirala it became a permanent exit. His lust for power had not died yet,for himself,or for his daughter Sujata.

He died with his last political mission of peace incomplete,constitution-writing still uncertain and unfinished. He left the Koirala dynasty without a patriarch,and with little chance of exercising the same clout in Nepal’s politics.

yubaraj.ghimire@expressindia.com