Kathmandu: King Gyanendra remains determined not to yield to the five parties’ demands. At least this is what could be concluded from his silence on the country’s ever deteriorating political and security situation.

His Loyal Prime Minister is sending signals to the agitating political parties to tighten their belts and prepare their political entities to embrace elections.

The Loyal ministers of Prime Minister Thapa have apparently acquired a posture that is aimed at stretching the tenure of their government in Kathmandu. The King’s silence too contributes to the general feeling that He would wish to "correct" the agitating political parties going the Thapa way.

The political parties are in a fix: should they embrace the elections in this present day hostile situation or allow the country to go the RPP Thapa way.

If they decide to face the elections, they are sure to loose for Thapa’s conspiratorial brain in no way would allow the other political parties to win the elections given the political situation in the country and his being at the helm of affairs of the country. (This could be fairly guessed from the manner Premier Thapa and his ministers are nominating their tested and trusted men in the high offices of the Municipalities and the likes). If they don’t participate in the elections would mean that they have boycotted the elections which Prime Minister Thapa would interpret in a different manner that suits to his political interest. With 4Ms in hand Prime Minister Thapa would do every thing possible to expose the political parties.

However, there is one problem for Thapa as well. If the political parties now in agitation don’t participate in the elections, the results, a strong likelihood remains, might not be recognized by a sizeable chunk of the Nepali population or even the international community would question the accuracy and the fairness of the results announced which definitely would favor the ruling party.

But then yet the leaders of the agitating parties have repeatedly been saying that if the polls are announced they would face it like brave boys.

Equally true is the reality that under the existing conditions elections could not be held. This is a fact both the men in the government and the men in the agitation understand.

Unless the national army comes to the rescue of the government, the elections could not be held. Both the agitating leaders and the leaders seated in Sigh Durbar know this hard reality. But question remains that even if the Army gives a nod to the government to go in on for elections, can the army provide security to the candidates and the voters nationwide? Perhaps not.

Prime Minister Thapa’s arrogance mixed penchant to go in for the elections appears to have been guided by the truth that he appears to have been told by the nation’s army to conduct the polls phase wise which appears to be not that impossible.

(Read complete article at Weekly Telegraph Wednesday, 22 October 2003 at  http://thenepalnews.com. Source: The Nepal News)