Prachanda's Little War!

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Around the same time a year ago I was in Nepal. The idea was to get a first hand insight into the mind of Nepal's Maoist ideologue, the then 'enigmatic' Pushpa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda. In Nepalese 'Prachanda' means the 'extreme; The adjective that Dahal took to drive a decade long armed struggle that his supporters saw as a means to end the schism that had existed in the Nepalese society for centuries. They wanted fair existence. And I could absolutely relate to this. Nepal's rich were the richest and its poor the poorest.

Most of rural Nepal still qualifies as one of the poorest places on earth. But capital Katmandu was something I had never seen. Casinos, imported cars, a burgeoning yuppy crowd that fed on burgers and pizzas. But some distance away farmers toiled in mountain soil to make ends meet. Young boys made way to India to find work. Many of Nepal's women would find themselves in flesh trade. 'We want to show the world that Nepal is a country that has more than mere watchmen and prostitutes' a Maoist cadre told me. The irony was not lost.

Prachanda was behind the awakening. And he wasn't probably wrong. But moving from one Maoist hideout to another all across Nepal, Prachanda's personality appeared to overshadow his cause. The very fact that the Maoist doctrine was named 'Prachanda Path' said it all. One could argue that 'Prachanda' is just an adjective, but in this case it was a clever use of the adjective. In the course of the Maoist insurgency Prachanda has had his way. And he was determined to have his way in the new set up in Nepal when the Maoists formally declared ceasefire and joined the interim government a year ago.

Almost a year later on 6 September 2007, Home Minister of Nepal and senior leader of the Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Situala publicly confirmed the Nepali Congress' decision to support the Maoists' principle demand to declare Nepal as a Republic. So one would assume that Maoists were happy men now that the goods were finally being delivered to the people. Yet Prachanda and his Communist Party of Nepal repeatedly threatened to quit the interim government, which they have finally done now.

The obvious reason is the question of abolition of monarchy but there is more to that. Even in the event of a monarch less Nepal, the primary objective of a communist Nepal ( that the Maoists have often talked about) seems like a distant dream. Prachanda understands that. He also understands that in the interim government they were the side-kick and to snatch the centrestage from political veterans like Girija Prasad Koirala was not really a cakewalk. So the Maoists are back to doing what they do best. They are agitating. Things would perhaps get more restive in Nepal in the coming days as Prachanda and his brigade launch street level protests, agitations, blockades.

This should be a good prelude to the November elections in Nepal which will decide the next ruler of the country. The Maoists are expected to go on a full scale electioneering propaganda to shore up support and alienate Communist Party of Nepal further from other political a parties. And make sure that CPN has a distinct identity and a definite stand that stands out of the usual rut.

And the problem with the Maoists that have got almost everything that they have fought for in Nepal. But not the power to rule. As much it is the people's war in Nepal it is also Prachanda's own little war. So does Prachanda who is an upper caste Brahmin, and launched a movement for classless society, has some personal agenda? I think so. And what remains to be seen is what course do the Communist Party of Nepal and Prachanda chart if they fail to make it to power in the coming elections. I will hold my guesses for the time being.