Deuba or other leader: coalition will continue

By TNW correspondent

With Prime Minister Deuba in competitive race for NC president in his party’s ongoing 14th National Convention, political analysts are raising a question: will the present five party coalition government continue if NC elects leader other than Deuba the party-president?

Senior politicos are confident about the continuity of the coalition-government arguing it is not individual leader based coalition; it instead is party-based and party-arranged coalition formed in response to the contemporary political need of the country.

Although some senior leaders of the coalition appear more confident and willing to work with PM Deuba, they will have to accept the decision of the NC for it is currently leading the coalition government. Some view that Deuba will continue as PM even if he loses the race for NC presidentship; the fresh leadership in the party would not be interested in unseating Deuba from the post of Head of Government for one year or at least until the elections for the parliament are held. Party insiders predict victory of Deuba in his party organization keeping in view the strong backing he has in the NC.

Some however say the fresh wave in the NC at the moment is for changing the old guards with new ones. In that scenario, none will get the minimum fifty percent vote in the first round compelling NC delegates to go for second round voting among two candidates with higher scores of votes. That second round will not favour Deuba, they point out referring to the current mood inside the party delegates. None could rule out the possibility of the second round voting between Prakash Man Singh and Shekhar Koirala keeping in view the trends inside the party. In that race perhaps Singh could emerge as leading figure just keeping Koirala inches away. Similarly Koirala could emerge victor keeping in view the huge backing he had in the 13th convention when he had sought membership of Central Committee. Senior politicos caution against prediction or guessing about the result of the in-party election for the top post.