Prachanda: Power to Dream

Janak Timilsina

Pushpa Kamal Dahal who started his political career since early 1970s involving in communist movement is on the top compared to his contemporary political figure in terms of fame and controversies. His character revolves around his tact to overcome his competitors for power and this kind of tact did not only make him clever political player, but also establish his 'charismatic' identity as Prachanda (though the charms of his name is gradually fading away).

Prachanda was identity-less in his 24 years long political career before the outbreak of people's war in 1996. His name limited as the 'myth' in specific circle was famous out of the blue in a very short time. Many people, linking his name with Paras guessed that the name could be just imaginary. His name was widely familiar in public with different pseudonyms.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal whose name was Chhabilal initially before migrating to Chitawan from Dhikurpokhari of Kasti turned to be Biswas and Prachanda in course of people's wars' development. In face his competence to initiate armed struggle in the rural area of the country at a time when world embraces capitalism, was enough to draw attention of international community. According to his close friends he dreams of doing miracles and the step forward of peoples war was the consequence of his miraculous dream. According to the aides of Prachanda, he is dreamed doing miracle in the front of Jumla and Khara during initial stage of people's war but it didn't go as expected. His plan designed to take action in Jumla and Khara permanently and bargain with central regime was failed. And he reached conclusion to continue movement simultaneously through war and negotiation.

Within the party or external politics, Prachanda plays with intra-party disputes and creates conducive climate to manage such disputes into his own basket for power. His cleverness of feeling not hesitated to hug and salute to his opponents for power is visible on different occasions. On December 22, 2009, he felt comfortable to drink in the company of Prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal forgetting that his speech in Baneshwor earlier on the same day was focused in criticizing and flaying same Madhav Nepal.

According to the informed party insiders, this talent inherent in Prachanda, he is able to hold the position of chairman since two decades. He always wants to hold power and he is too ambitious too. He laid new concept of Prachanda-path' adding suffix in his name in the national conference held in Patan of Indian in 2001. Prachandapath was a full package of different strategies to meet the aim of people's war. Fusion of long-term people's war and armed revolution, cordoning city from village based on Nepali originality, using less powerful enemy against major enemy were the major strategy adopted by Prachandapath. He was learnt to have ambition to introduce his concept in international arena.

During 2008 CA elections, his publicity bagan as the first president of republic Nepal though his didn't became president, rather became first prime minister of republic Nepal. This strategy has been criticized as utilitarianism and it is supposed that India's skeptic was based on the practice of this doctrine. Dahal is still running with the same doctrine. His persuasion of utilitarianism is making him unpopular and unsuccessful.

Controversy has become another name of Dahal. On the day of making him public on June 16, 2006 in Baluwatar for the first time, he was caught in controversy saying Nepali Army as rapist and later he was forced to give clarification. After that, he was caught in yet another dispute after saying river swept away their weapons. On December 22, his controversy was repeated when he said he would directly talk to India as real boss was India. But again he was forced to make clear about his remarks and corrected that he told that in form of satire only. Again during May strike, he was forced to apoloze for what he said 'Sukila Mukila' to Kathmanduites.

Ones again he is dreaming to be prime minister and is trying to create favorable atmosphere inside the party. He is so ambitious that he wants to show the world Nepali peace process reaching conclusion in his leadership and float his concept of New revolution as well as Prachandapath in international arena.

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