The mood in Nepal is euphoric. The country is convinced that lasting peace is just a few months away, that it will inevitably follow the summit level talks to be held between the government and the Maoists on Friday.

That the talks, like two previous ones, may get derailed is something no one’s talking about.

The dialogue between two the mid-level official committees began over a month ago. The fact that they could get elusive Maoist leader Prachanda to the table was a signal that the dialogue was moving in the desired direction. But will it reach the desired destination? Will it achieve peace, democracy and economic prosperity?

There are doubts and they are certainly not misplaced. The moral and administrative authority of Prime Minister G P Koirala, undoubtedly the country’s tallest leader, has got some drubbing in recent weeks. The House of Representatives, which was revived four years after its dissolution, has arbitrarily declared itself ‘supreme’ and given the Speaker sweeping executive powers which, in fact, have weakened the Prime Minister’s authority. All is not well within the seven party coalition either. There are rumours of a rift.

Compare this with the strong message Prachanda is sending out. His guerrillas took charge of the Prime Minister’s official residence to host his first ever public press conference. Then he went ahead and made some sweeping remarks against the present government, including its army. None of the ministers and seven-party leaders sharing the dais with him dared to counter him. It was quite a spectacle—the seven party alliance leaders dwarfed by Prachanda the Hero who announced that his future role model would be Lord Buddha. Of course, he didn’t mention if modelling himself on Buddha would mean seeking forgiveness from the victims of Maoist atrocities.

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