Op-ed pages of almost newspapers published in Kathmandu on Wednesday have focused on issues related to elections. Here is a summary of op-ed pages of major newspapers published on Wednesday:
Where is Netra Bikram Chand headed?
Former rebel commander and Maoist leader Netra Bikram Chand and his Nepal Communist Party have said they will do everything they can disrupt the upcoming elections. Security officials have also listed Chand and his followers as the main threat to elections this time. In this context, Rajan Nepal, in his article for Annapurna Post, says that Chand is not clear about his ideology and his rebellion is not doing good to anyone. He says that by using violence, the party will never be popular, nor will his ‘revolution’ ever be complete.He says that political parties need to safeguard the achievements of the People’s Movement and address pertinent issues plaguing the people. He argues that just because the Maoist rebellion was ‘superhit’ the sequel Chand is trying to launch will not follow suit.
What is the election is really about?
Following the successful completion of the first phase of elections, political parties and voters are looking forward to the second round. While the first round of elections took place in the mountainous areas where population density and urban settlements are limited, the second round is taking place next week in the hills and the planes. In this context, Krishna Murari Bhandari, in his piece for Annapurna Post, says that the elections next week will finish off the process that began in Nepal in 1951 when democracy first came to the country. The elections will make the constitution fully functional and every level of government envisaged by the constitution will have people’s representatives running it.
He argues that while critics say that it has taken a long time for the electoral process to conclude, processes like these do take time and the country is headed in the right direction.
Money is driving our elections
Purushottam Dahal, in his piece for Nagarik, says that elections in Nepal are turning out to be a costly affair. He says that candidates who do not spend more than the maximum amount set by the Election Commission are likely to lose badly. He argues that unless the voters realise that they have a duty towards the country, questions will always be raised about the whole process.
He says that the political parties have selected candidates based on their capacity to spend, rather than their leadership potential and this is not good for democracy.
