Krishna Prasad Bhattarai

Krishna Prasad Bhattarai (Nepali/Nepal Bhasa: कृष्ण प्रसाद भट्टराई) (born 1924) is one of the popular Nepali political leaders. To date he is seen as respectable figure in and outside the political circle. Widely seen as a maverick leader of Nepali Congress Party, he made his position by transitioning Nepal from absolute monarchy to democratic multi-party system.

He has twice been the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the Interim Government from 19 April 1990 to 26 May 1991, and then as elected Prime Minister from 31 May 1999 to 22 March 2000.

He was the officiating President of the Nepali Congress for nearly 26 years from February 12, 1976, and finally elected to the post of president of party in 1992 till 1996. He was actively participated in democratic Movements of Nepal from its inception. The constitution of Nepal (1990) was promulgated while he was interim Prime minister of Nepal and credited for successfully holding the parliametary election in 1990, a milestone in Nepalese political history.

Youth

In his youth, Bhattarai was a journalist. He was also one of the first foreign journalists to interview the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the then USSR, Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev.

First Democratic Movement of Nepal

Bhattarai has actively participated in a long struggle to modernize the Nepalese political system, aiming to transform a society that was isolated for centuries from the outside world.

He started politics to end the 104-year-rule of the Rana dynasty. During the political movement of 1950 to overthrow the Rana autocracy, initiated by the Bairgania Conference of the Nepali Congress on 26-27 September 1950 (Ashwin 10-11, 2007 BS), he was in in charge of armed group Congress Mukti Sena fighting in Gorkha district. This armed struggle was initiated by the Nepali Congress, of which he was founding member. The armed revolution by the Nepali Congress was supported by King Tribhuvan, who was in exile, as well as by Indian and Burmese socialists. The armed revolution ultimately brought an end to the 104-year-rule of the Rana Dynasty on February 18, 1951 (Falgun 7, 2007 BS). This day is celebrated as Democracy Day and is a public holiday in Nepal.

After the first parliamentary election of 1959, at the age of 36, he became Speaker of lower house of parliament, though he was not an elected member. After the coup of 1960, Bhattarai was held without trial for eight years at the Sundarijal Military Detention Camp. [cite web|url=http://www.nepalicongress.org.np/bpkoirala/sundarijal/sundarijal.html|title=Picture of Sundarijal Military Detention Camp |work=Nepali Congress|accessdate=2008-10-07 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20020802063058/www.nepalicongress.org.np/bpkoirala/sundarijal/sundarijal.html |archivedate=2002-08-02]

Bhattarai was nominated as the officiating President of the Nepali Congress on February 12, 1976 (Falgun 1, 2025 BS) by then party supremo Jananayak BP Koirala. He held this post for more than 25 years, during which time he was a key figure in Nepal's democratic movement. He was elected President of the Nepali Congress by the Eighth National Conference of the Nepali Congress, held in January 1992 (Falgun 2049 B S).

Interim Government after Democratic Movement of 1990s

Bhattarai was the Prime Minister of the Interim Government after the successful movement of 1990 (1990 People's Movement/Jana Andolan) which brought democracy to the country, bringing an end to the 30-year-old Panchayati government, and to absolute monarchy in Nepal.

Bhattarai transformed the country from an absolute monarchy to a multi-party Democracy without any major problems. He was prime minister when constitution (1990) of Nepal was promulgated and successfully held the first multi-party election in 30 years. Though he was popular leader he lost the election by very narrow margin.

He again served as Prime Minister from May 1999 to March 2000. He also held the portfolio of foreign ministry from 1990 to 1991 and briefly during 1999 while he was prime minister. He is a founding member and former president of the Nepali Congress Party, and is known for his long intraparty rivalry with Girija Prasad Koirala. His recent position supporting the monarchy and inactivity in recent political movement that brought down the government headed by then king Gyanendre, has made him increasingly irrelevant than controversial.

Party Politics

Until recently, both factions of the Nepali Congress, the Nepali Congress led by Girija Prasad Koirala and the Nepali Congress (Democratic) led by Sher Bahadur Deuba claimed Bhattarai on their side though his sympathy was more with Deuba from the beginning. Both congress parties elected him as Maha Samiti Member (General Convention Member) from Lalitpur District. On September 26, 2007 Bhattarai declared that he broke relations with the Nepali Congress; the day after the two factions had reunited. Bhattarai's decision was motivated by the move towards republicanism by the unified Nepali Congress. [ [http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2007/sep/sep26/news07.php Nepalnews.com article] ]

Private life

Bhattarai has been a life-long bachelor.

References

External links

1. [http://www.nepalicongress.org/files/introduction.php Website of Nepali Congress Party] [accessed 1 April 2007] .

2. Keshab Poudel: [http://www.nepalnews.com/contents/englishweekly/spotlight/2002/jun/jun14/national2.htm "Symbol of Simplicity"] . Spotlight: Kathmandu, Nepal [accessed 1 April 2007] .