With less than a month left for the May 28 constitution deadline, confusion galore by the day.


One thing is certain: the deadline will not be met. What is not certain is what follows then. A disaster. An earthquake. A tsunami. That is what is being feared. There have been very few explanations though.


As of now, speculations have centred on who will don the mantle at these critically uncertain times.


The Maoist supremo Prachanda is out to get the man he installed in the Singhdurbar. He does not want to let Jhalnath Khanal take credit for the conclusion of the process he believes he initiated along with the late Girija Prasad Koirala five years ago.


It was not for nothing that he decided on an about-turn from the Palungtar conclave to distance himself from the revolt-seeking vice chairman Mohan Vaidya ‘Kiran’ and draw closer to the peace and constitution-seeking vice chairman Baburam Bhattarai


Prachanda’s ally-turned-rival-turned-ally, Baburam Bhattarai, has not given up the dream yet of landing in the plum job.

The latest to be seen in the race – from behind the curtain, of course -- is the Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba who patched up differences with the party president Sushil Koirala over the selection of the vice president Ram Chandra |Poudel and general secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula.


The rapproachment took place close on the heels of a three-day visit of the Indian external affairs minister, S.M. Krishna, who had had hard talks with the Maoist supremo, and a very soft dialogue with the former Nepali Congress prime minister.
According to sources, Deuba is emerging as the front-runner to captain Nepal’s baby republic in widely-forecast turbulent weather.


The search for the successor to Jhalnath Khanal is already on. Never in the driver’s seat, Khanal will not be surprised to see himself boarded off – anytime.


As power games take the centre-stage, the constitution-making and the peace process are sure to be pushed to the backseat.
 
According to sources, Deuba is emerging as the front-runner to captain Nepal’s baby republic in widely-forecast turbulent weather.


The search for the successor to Jhalnath Khanal is already on. Never in the driver’s seat, Khanal will not be surprised to see himself boarded off – anytime.


As power games take the centre-stage, the constitution-making and the peace process are sure to be pushed to the backseat.