Commentary

Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sushil Koirala was busy crunching numbers during the final days of his life. Sushil, who became party president following the death of his elder cousin Girija Prasad Koirala, wanted to handover the Koirala baton (the same way GP handed it to him) to someone in the family.

Sushil wanted to handover the Koirala baton (the same way GP handed it to him) to someone in the family.

Although Sushil had said during the 12th convention of the party that he would like to serve just one term, he was likely to contest again during the party’s 13th convention, scheduled for the first week of March. Sushil wanted to do this to create a platform for the next generation of Koiralas to take charge at the highest level. After winning the party presidency, he wanted to assign important roles to GP’s daughter Sujata and BP’s son Sashank.

But with Sushil gone just days before the election, it would be a tough ask for Sujata and Sashank, as well as Sekhar (GP and BP’s nephew) to make the cut this time. These three (in no particular order) are most likely take charge of the Koirala family’s political legacy now.

1.

Sujata Koirala

 

Sujata has already declared her candidacy for Congress’ top post. Although she is GP Koirala’s daughter, her influence is limited. When her father named her foreign minister in his Cabinet, the move was criticised by the party leadership. Senior party leaders had gathered at Ram Chandra Paudel’s residence and demanded that the party president’s powers be curtailed. But their demand was addressed only during the 12th convention when GP was no more, and Sushil took charge of the party. In Sushil’s absence, Nepali Congress’ establishment will not give Sujata space just because she’s GP’s daughter. Leaders like Ram Chandra Paudel and Ganesh Man Singh’s son Prakash Man Singh see themselves as being senior to Sujata.

 

2.

Sashank Koirala

During the buildup to the general convention, Sushil wanted to project Sashank as a capable leader. That his why Sushil asked Sashank to accompany him to crucial political negotiations. But Congress insiders say that he is far from ready to lead the party. His critics say that Sashank’s main weakness is that he does not understand the issue of his time. Two decades have passed since the first People’s Movement, but he is still saying that Congress should not have joined forces with the communists in 1990. Sashank was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Nawalparasi, but Congress leaders say that he has shown many a times that he is more worried about his personal life than the party’s cause.

3.

Shekhar Koirala

Party influencers see Shekhar Koirala as being a better leader than Sujata and Sashank. He has strong ties with India, but the Koirala family has not accepted him as its leader. Sekhar is the son of Nona Koirala (GP’s sister-in-law), considered GP’s rival. For that reason he is considered a ‘second-class’ Koirala, and therefore unfit to inherit the family’s legacy.