Prime Minister Dahal made a public address to the nation on Tuesday. The timing of the address indicates that the government is at a critical juncture. According to the agreement signed between the Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress in August, the former was supposed to relinquish leadership of the government to the latter once local elections were held. 

In recent days, the NC has applied significant pressure on the Maoists to announce the dates for elections or step down from power. Dahal also recognised that his legitimacy would be at stake if he failed to take the election process forward. Previously, he had been keen to reach an agreement with Madhesi parties and pass the constitution amendment bill before announcing elections. However, the threat of losing both legitimacy and control of the government compelled him to announce the May 14 local elections. 

Dahal’s address was intended to appeal to all sections of society. By expressing his commitment to holding local elections on time, he sought to placate the other major parties and a large section of the population that is keen to see elections held. He also referred to the Supreme Court judgment, which bars the parties from delaying polls. In this way, Dahal pledged commitment to Nepal’s institutions and the rule of law. At the same time, he tried to placate the Madhesi parties and population by reiterating his efforts to reach an agreement with them and by affirming that he would do his utmost to complete the constitution amendment process. To his critics who allege that Dahal has been undermining Nepal’s sovereignty by pandering to Madhesi and external forces, Dahal pledged his commitment to nationalism and warned that the government would not tolerate any secessionist sentiments. 

In some ways, Dahal seemed to simultaneously deliver a farewell speech (as though he recognised that his government would not be in power for much longer) as well as the beginning of an election campaign (by extolling his achievements, he seemed to be reaching out to both his party organisation and potential voters). Still, it is one thing to reach out through a speech to all sections of the population, but quite another to reconcile the deep social divisions. 

It was quite evident Dahal recognised that he had not been completely successful in reconciling all differences to pave the way for smooth elections to the three tiers of government by January 2018, when Parliament’s term expires. Historical judgment on Dahal’s current tenure will likely be determined by his success in addressing diverse demands and gaining support for holding a good election that will lead to the constitution’s implementation. Other parties, not least the Madhesi ones, also need to internalise the possible constitutional vacuum in case the three elections are not held by the deadline.