Polarised polity

For many months now, it has been clear to Nepalis that their republic, the youngest in the world, would miss its 28 May deadline for drafting a new constitution. That much of the optimism and energy surrounding the April 2008 election, the first after a decade of conflict, had been lost was evident in the run-up to end-May. With political consensus proving elusive, and the peace process moving at a slow crawl, matters came to a head in early May, as the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) enforced an 'indefinite' countrywide strike. The stated intention was to pressure Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to resign, paving the way for a national unity government headed by the UCPN (Maoist), marking the party's return to power after a year in opposition.

Saying they were bringing 'revolution' to the heart of the country, the Maoist leaders termed the strike 'Jana Andolan 3', after the people's movements that took place in 1990 and 2006, the latter of which heralded the beginning of the end for the Nepali monarchy. Needless to say, this was a controversial categorisation, and one refuted by many. In a show of strength, the party bussed in more than 100,000 people from across the country to the Kathmandu Valley. As people poured in, hoisting party flags, the party leadership organised temporary shelters in public and private schools, shopping malls and abandoned buildings. Those unable to find shelter simply set up camp on the street.