Nepali premier's star fades after 100 days in office

Dec 6, 2011, 10:13 GMT

By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa =

Kathmandu (dpa) - Nepal's prime minister Baburam Bhattarai found his star fading as he reached 100 days in office Tuesday, with criticism from several sides replacing the initial adulation.

'Government fails to provide good governance and relief in first 100 days,' said Kantipur Television, while the Rajdhani daily wrote, 'Peace and constitution issues conceal government weaknesses.'

The country's second Maoist prime minister is its fourth in the five years since the 10-year civil war with Maoist rebels ended in 2006, leaving around 16,000 dead.

But since his election to office by parliament in August, he appears to have made little more headway with the peace process than his predecessors.

Despite their comfortable win in the 2008 general elections, the Maoists have been unable to forge a consensus in parliament over contentious issues including the wording of the new constitution, and what to do with the around 19,000 former Maoist combatants.

Things started out well for Bhattarai, as his demonstrative austerity measures earned him public acclaim and distinguished him from his predecessor.

The public cheered as he rode past in his modest Nepal-made Mustang Max car, or stepped off the budget flights he took for trips abroad.

'He raised the hopes of the people and won their affection,' said Gunaraj Luitel, political commentator and editor of the Annapurna Post daily.

'He became a symbol of a prime minister who wanted to be different with the austerity measures he introduced.'

There were also early political successes. He facilitated the handover of rebel arms, and negotiated for 6,500 of the former combatants to be integrated into the military.

Parliament had been at loggerheads over both issues for months.

But his compromises started to lose him the favour of his party, who felt that he was too quick to sell out.

On returning from an India trip in October, he was greeted by a delegation of party members bearing black flags in symbol of mourning after he signed an investment treaty with New Delhi.

The deal invited Indian interference in Nepal, party dissidents said, demanding Bhattarai step down.

The faction calling for his resignation, led by Mohan Vaidhya, also opposed the terms of the arms handover and the combatant reintegration agreement.

Bhattarai's appeal has also started to wane among the public, which is questioning some of his austerity measures.

When in November the prime minister expanded his cabinet to 49 members, the biggest in Nepal's history, observers pointed out the inconsistency with his ideal of a lean, efficient government.

'Although he facilitated the peace process, he shouldn't have formed a jumbo cabinet,' Luitel said.

But the darkest stain on his image was his attempt to shield two Maoist lawmakers convicted of murder. He has denied all wrongdoing, but the affair has added a moral dimension to the political criticism of his leadership.

Outside the corridors of parliament, the public is also growing disenchanted, in particular with the delays to the constitution.

The deadline has been extended twice since he took office, and the Constituent Assembly is now due to finish its draft by April.

The text will need to include provisions on the as-yet-unresolved issues of electoral reform, state restructuring and governance systems.

Deadlines to complete the integration of the former rebel fighters also seem unlikely to be met, given the ongoing disagreements within the Maoists and between the parties.

'If he focuses on peace and constitution and on public interest, he has the opportunity to be the best prime minister in Nepal,' Luitel said.

Others do not share his optimism.

'His intentions are good but there are limitations,' said Ajit Baral, a writer and columnist. 'He has to satisfy expectations from all quarters, so he probably can't perform to his best.'