But all parties, as the new president noted, aim to establish peace in the country, ensure social justice and the rule of law. Using this as the starting point, the Maoists can craft a dynamic but durable alliance with other parties. That will depend on their ability to compromise and negotiate with the other parties. The Maoists lost the MJF’s support at the last minute because they did not address the Madhesi party’s unhappiness with the former’s Madhesi presidential nominee, nor did they agree to the demand that the vice president also be a Madhesi. The wily old establishment parties, the ULP and the NC, successfully used the rift to wean the MJF away by skilfully accommodating their demands. An old guard that sees itself as the rightful heir to the now-abolished monarchy cannot be expected to relinquish power quietly to the revolutionaries-turned-statesmen.

What matters now is that all parties quickly accustom themselves to the cycle of wins and losses within a democratic framework, and concentrate on increasing the number of wins by honing their negotiating skills. The Maoists are learning the democratic game, but not as quickly as they should. In the run-up to the presidential elections, the Maoists first approached their erstwhile enemies, the NC and the UML for a consensus candidate, and when talks fell through, they turned to the MJF. After their defeat, they switched their stance from an initial refusal to form the new government to a conditional agreement to lead the new administration. The three conditions issued by Prachanda are: the other parties have to agree not to oust the Maoist government for at least two years, allow the Maoists to push through a minimum programme that presumably includes land reforms, and dissolve their “unholy alliance”. These betray the inexperience of the Maoists; a country that has seen 16 governments in 18 years is not likely to change its style of functioning.

... contd.