With serious cracks in the ruling party, Nepali Congress heading towards an inevitable split and communist parties in doldrums, Mr Sher Bahadur Deuba is coming back. Yes, he is returning home from Hong Kong. That is the place for shooting Hollywood blockbuster Enter the Dragon. Earlier, this scribe has written Oli to be the Bruce Lee of present day post Gen-Z politics, however, the scripts are written clearly for Enter the Deuba. The oppositional power gravitates towards Deuba. So far, the date of return has not been fixed, but he is suppose to return by the middle of August - that is before Congressi conundrum on helding annual convention.
When Deuba left for Singapore and dilly dallied his return, many assumed he is on a run, evading state investigations and arrests. Others assumed, in the absence of his personal security, he is not returning home, he is in a kind of self-exile. There are still others assuming him busy, with his family, hiding ill-earned wealth abroad. There are no dearth of conspiracy theories.
In the meantime, the the state under the control of junks keep itself busy, spreading rumors of his possible arrests, writing letters for his extra-diction and posting summon letters at his residence completely burned down by Gen-Zs. Deuba Chowk has been renamed as Gen-Z chowk at Buddanilkantha.
Can Deuba’s return exhibit similar impact as of B. P. Koirala’s return from self-exile in India, in December 1976? What unfolded post Koirala’s return in Nepali politics, is very much clear to every body. Late Koirala returned home with a message of national reconciliation. Many believed he was forced to return home after what unfolded in India. There is now a “waka, waka, this time for India” situation and the tyape government is desperate seeinb PM Modi.
Deuba delivering a long written message, on the eve of celebration of 44th memorial day of B. P. Koirala, is all designed to have a similar impact as that of B. P. Koirala returning home in 1976. Deuba’s possible return must be making political honchos nervous and uncomfortable here. Who knows there might even be possible moves to delay, differ or even close his entry? Let us wait and see what unfolds in the days to come.
When this scribe interviewed Deuba, in 2000, at his rented bungalow at Thapathali, could not ever imagine the condition of a former PM. There is a woman behind all successful men. I suppose, reverse is also equally true -there is also a woman (often, more than one) behind all ruined men. Deuba is discredited, not for his actions and inactions, but much for the actions of his chubby better half - Doctor Arju Rana! Her overt influence in politics led many to believe revival of rana shasan in Nepal. She is, definitely, an ambitious lady, but that rana sashan is a bit over-exaggeration.
This scribe assumes that much of political instability in Nepal originates, not from cleavages and splits in the ruling party or parties, but from the instability within Nepali Congress Party. One just need to go back and read the history. Will Deuba able to solve congressi conundrum? That is going to be a million dollar question.
Without Jana Andolan I type mass movement the present day political absurdity taking place in Nepal cannot be solved. Clearly, there is a need for Late Ganesh Man Singh type leadership. He was the one who brought all opposition forces together into a platform before launching a mass movement against Panchayat system. Remember the single goal we pursued? That was to end panchayat system and replace it with multiparty system, defeated a decade back through industrial scale vote rigging? We are very much into that situation. With Oli forcefully evicted in the aftermath of Gen-Z rebellion, the monarchists basked in the temporal urinal warmth but they soon come to realized that this Balen government is not with them, if not against them.
Basically, Deuba is a deal maker. This is what a NC leader commented. Yes, in the present day situation, it is Deuba alone who can bring all the forces together. He is the single figure palatable to India, to US and to the China via closeness to Oli. Definitely, there will be lots of plots to stop Deuba coming home. But no one can deny his return. That is the power of politics.
