The present political and constitutional crisis is a result of the unravelling of political forces that had come together to replace the monarchy and build a full-fledged democracy in Nepal. The trigger was Prachanda's move to sack the army chief, who according to Maoists repeatedly defied orders of the government. The authority of a civilian government over the armed forces is beyond doubt in a democracy. However, the Maoist leadership, wary of a restive cadre confined in UN-monitored camps, sought to reconstitute the armed forces and integrate its erstwhile fighters in the army. But it could not get even allies in the government to back the plan.
The crisis in Nepal deepened after Maoist leader Prachanda quit as prime minister on Monday. With Maoists, the single largest group in parliament, out of the equation a stable government is unlikely in Nepal soon. Prachanda's decision to resign was inevitable after President Rama Baran Yadav asked the army chief to ignore the prime minister's dismissal order. It's a step in the right direction since the Maoist leader had lost the confidence of major allies in the government.
It is now for political parties in Nepal to sort out the mess. New Delhi must wait for the situation to clear and support the democratic forces. Considering the long border, close cultural and economic ties and the looming shadow of Beijing, it is naive to expect New Delhi to be a passive onlooker in the unfolding drama. Sections of the political class in Nepal tend to blame India for its woes and want closer ties with China to counter the influence of India in the region. India needs to maintain its concerns without aiding the perception that it doesn't fully respect Kathmandu's sovereign interests. Winning friends in the neighbourhood has never been easy for a regional power anywhere in the world.
India must win the trust of its neighbours by assuring them that it seeks to be a bulwark against political and economic disruption in the region. Unlike in India, democracy has not gained deep roots in the rest of the subcontinent. Nepal has only recently shaken off its monarchy after a bloody civil war that lasted for more than a decade. The gains of that democratic struggle need to be consolidated and Maoists, who had a significant role in ending the monarchy, must recognise that the impulse of the people is to build a democratic country with space for a diversity of political opinion to flourish. The people did not revolt against a despot to usher in army rule or a dictatorship of Maoists.
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