Political strength

That ruling CPN UML chose to demonstrate political strength in the capital city the other day through organizing Jagaran Sabha- Awareness Mass Meeting- at this particular time could not be dismissed as just another attempt to indicate how organized the party organization is under PM Oli. The party which is leading the government is doing so almost on the eve of various by-elections in the country and the forthcoming visit of PM Oli to China and amidst criticism of government as non-functional. The demonstration also takes place at a time when a few politicians are engaged in the street protest against arrest and corruption-allegation against their leader.Analysts have explained the ruling party’s show in varied ways – positive or negative. One of them looks highly positive: solid illustration to make people feel the presence of CPN UML as a party not only at the high rooms of Singha Durbar but also at the grass-root level. Another is rather negative: public demonstration by ruling party is wrong; those who are in power should be able to perform and deliver on their pledges given to the people during elections and other times. PM Oli, also the head of CPN UML, in his address to the mass awareness programme presented himself as a leader confident in government stability and firm in providing leadership to the coalition government. He also re-assured with emphasis about the continuity of his government for the next 18 months and pledged that he would hand over the governance to coalition partner –Nepali Congress – the single largest party in the current hung parliament after that as finalized in agreement worked out prior to forming CPN UML-NC alliance for government-formation. The whole scenario behind the demonstration gives general people an impression of visibility of CPN UML in government and also at the public level. That visibility would be helpful in facilitating the ruling party in doing better in by-polls, in foreign visit and in the context of consolidating party’s political network. It would also help the party to erase some public doubt about the failure of government in response to corruption, flood-disaster caused by 40 hour rain recently and other criticism about the poor functioning or non-functioning. But politicians particularly the leaders of ruling parties should understand that governance is much more serious and practicality-focused than making a show of political strength in the street. Leaders have to perform better for public strength when in power; they should do things that help people feel the positive difference in their daily lives. Nepalis are suffering most at the time in various sectors including cost of living, unemployment, productivity, investment and service delivery and they need some meaningful support, not oral narrative, from those who govern.