Girija Prasad Koirala
Encyclopedia
Girija Prasad Koirala was a Nepal
ese politician and the President of the Nepali Congress
, a major political party. He was Prime Minister of Nepal for four times, serving from 1991 to 1994, 1998 to 1999, 2000 to 2001, and from 2006 to 2008; he was also Acting Head of State
from January 2007 to July 2008.
Koirala, who was active in politics for over sixty years, was a pioneer of the Nepalese labour movement, having started a workers' movement in the Jute
mills of his hometown, Biratnagar. In 1991 he became the first democratically elected Prime Minister since 1959, when his brother B. P. Koirala
and the Nepali Congress
party were swept into power in the country's first democratic election.
, Bihar
, British India, in 1925. His father, Krishna Prasad Koirala
, was a Nepali living in exile.
. Later, in 1952 he became the President of the Morang District Nepali Congress
and held that office until he was arrested and imprisoned by King Mahendra
following the 1960 royal coup. Upon his release in 1967, Koirala, along with other leaders and workers of the party, was exiled to India
until his return to Nepal in 1979. Koirala was General Secretary of the Nepali Congress
Party from 1975 to 1991. Koirala was actively involved in the 1990 Jana Andolan which led to the abrogation of the Panchayat rule and the introduction of multiparty politics into the country.
in 1991, Koirala was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Morang-1 and Sunsari-5 constituencies. The Nepali Congress won 110 of the 205 seats in the Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives), the lower house of parliament. He was subsequently elected as the leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party and was appointed as Prime Minister by King Birendra
.
During his first term, the House of Representatives enacted legislation to liberalize education, media and health sectors in the country. The government also founded the Purbanchal University
and the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences(BPKIHS) in the Eastern Development Region and granted licenses to the private sector to run medical and engineering colleges in various parts of the country. The government also undertook the construction of the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital
in Bharatpur, Nepal
with assistance from the government of China
.
In November 1994, he called for a dissolution of parliament and general elections after a procedural defeat on the floor of the House when 36 Members of Parliament (MPs) of his party went against a government-sponsored vote of confidence. This led to the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist)-led coalition coming to power in the elections that followed
.
following the collapse of the coalition government
led by Thapa. Koirala first headed a Nepali Congress
minority government until December 25, 1998, after which he headed a three-party coalition government with the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the Nepal Sadhbhawana Party.
, under whose leadership the Nepali Congress
Party had won the parliamentary election. The party had won claiming that Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
would be the Prime Minister, but Koirala led a group of dissident MPs and forced Bhattarai to resign or face a no-confidence motion. At that time Nepal was fighting a civil war against the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). During his third term as Prime Minister, his government was plagued by allegations of corruption. Following the massacre in the Royal Palace
, Koirala was further criticized for his perceived inability to handle the crisis. Koirala resigned in July 2001 after which the military was mobilized in the civil war for the first time, something Koirala had unsuccessfully attempted to do while in office. He was replaced by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba
, who was elected by a majority of members of the Nepali Congress
.
and the reinstatement of the Nepal House of Representatives, Pratinidhi Sabha, on 24 April 2006, Koirala was selected to become Prime Minister by the leaders of the Seven Party Alliance.
The reinstated House of Representatives passed laws to strip the King of his powers and bring the Army under civilian control.
Following the promulgation of the interim constitution, Koirala, as the Prime Minister, became the interim head of state of Nepal.
On 1 April 2007, Koirala was re-elected as Prime Minister to head a new government composed of the SPA and the CPN (Maoist).
Following the April 2008 Constituent Assembly election
, the Constituent Assembly voted to declare Nepal a republic on 28 May 2008. Koirala, speaking to the Constituent Assembly shortly before the vote, said that "we have a big responsibility now"; he said that Nepal was entering a "new era" and that "the nation's dream has come true".
In the discussions on power-sharing that followed the declaration of a republic, the Nepali Congress
proposed that Koirala become the first President of Nepal; however, the CPN (Maoist), which had emerged as the strongest party in the Constituent Assembly election, opposed this. At a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on June 26, 2008, Koirala announced his resignation, although it would not be finalized until after the election of a President, to whom the resignation had to be submitted.
Koirala was present for the swearing in of Ram Baran Yadav
, the first President of Nepal, on July 23, 2008. He submitted his resignation to Yadav later on the same day. CPN (M) Chairman Prachanda
was elected by the Constituent Assembly to succeed Koirala on August 15, 2008, and Koirala congratulated Prachanda
on this occasion.
.
Simple Convictions: My Struggle for Peace and Democracy
and pulmonary disease. His funeral was held at Pashupatinath Temple
in Kathmandu on March 21. Upon receiving news of his death, numerous politicians released statements of condolence. The Hindu
described him as a "national guardian". Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh
released a statement expressing his condolences, saying "Koirala was a mass leader and a statesman, whose knowledge and wisdom guided the polity of Nepal in the right direction at critical junctures in the country's history," while Ban Ki-moon
, Secretary-General of the United Nations said Koirala "fought fearlessly and at considerable personal sacrifice for justice and democratic rights in his country" and senior Maoist politician Baburam Bhattarai
said Koirala "will be much missed, especially now that the country is nearing the end of the peace process that he facilitated".
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese politician and the President of the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
, a major political party. He was Prime Minister of Nepal for four times, serving from 1991 to 1994, 1998 to 1999, 2000 to 2001, and from 2006 to 2008; he was also Acting Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
from January 2007 to July 2008.
Koirala, who was active in politics for over sixty years, was a pioneer of the Nepalese labour movement, having started a workers' movement in the Jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
mills of his hometown, Biratnagar. In 1991 he became the first democratically elected Prime Minister since 1959, when his brother B. P. Koirala
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala was the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960. He led the Nepali Congress, a social democratic political party.Koirala was the first democratically elected Prime Minister in Nepal's history...
and the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
party were swept into power in the country's first democratic election.
Early life
Koirala was born in SaharsaSaharsa
Saharsa is a city and a municipality in the Saharsa district in the Indian state of Bihar in north India, east of the Kosi River. It is the administrative headquarters of the Saharsa District, and is in the Kosi Division. Sahrasa is also the name of the Parliamentary constituency, which contains...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, British India, in 1925. His father, Krishna Prasad Koirala
Krishna Prasad Koirala
The founder of the prominent Koirala family of Nepal.He was the father of the Former prime minister of Late .Girija Prasad Koirala. He had 5 sons and a daughter. The five sons are:Matrika Prasad Koirala, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Girija Prasad Koirala, Keshav Prasad Koirala and Tarini Prasad...
, was a Nepali living in exile.
Political career
Koirala became involved in politics in 1947, leading a workers' strike. In 1948 Koirala founded the Nepal Mazdoor Congress, later known as the Nepal Trade Union Congress-IndependentNepal Trade Union Congress-Independent
The Nepal Trade Union Congress-Independent is a national trade union centre in Nepal. It was founded in 2008, as the merger of two organisations, the Nepal Trade Union Congress and the Democratic Congress of Nepali Trade Unions...
. Later, in 1952 he became the President of the Morang District Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
and held that office until he was arrested and imprisoned by King Mahendra
Mahendra of Nepal
Possibly no heir for the time period of 1911 through 1920. Previous Crown Prince: Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah, from 1906 to 1911....
following the 1960 royal coup. Upon his release in 1967, Koirala, along with other leaders and workers of the party, was exiled to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
until his return to Nepal in 1979. Koirala was General Secretary of the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
Party from 1975 to 1991. Koirala was actively involved in the 1990 Jana Andolan which led to the abrogation of the Panchayat rule and the introduction of multiparty politics into the country.
First term
In Nepal's first multiparty democratic electionNepalese legislative elections, 1991
Elections to the Pratinidhi Sabha were held on May 12, 1991. These were the first multiparty elections following the uprising against monarchic autocracy in 1990.Electoral participation was 61.7%....
in 1991, Koirala was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Morang-1 and Sunsari-5 constituencies. The Nepali Congress won 110 of the 205 seats in the Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives), the lower house of parliament. He was subsequently elected as the leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party and was appointed as Prime Minister by King Birendra
Birendra of Nepal
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was a King of Nepal. The son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded in 1972, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre...
.
During his first term, the House of Representatives enacted legislation to liberalize education, media and health sectors in the country. The government also founded the Purbanchal University
Purbanchal University
Purbanchal University is a technical university situated in Biratnagar, the economic center of Nepal. It was established in 1993 by the Government of Nepal. It is located in the expansive premise of over 545 hectares...
and the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences(BPKIHS) in the Eastern Development Region and granted licenses to the private sector to run medical and engineering colleges in various parts of the country. The government also undertook the construction of the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital
B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital
B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital is a hospital of Nepal located in Bharatpur. This hospital is one of the very few specialized hospitals outside Kathmandu valley in Nepal. The hospital is named for Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, who served as the first democratically elected Prime Minister of...
in Bharatpur, Nepal
Bharatpur, Nepal
Bharatpur is a city in the central-southern part of Nepal. Located in Chitwan Valley, Bharatpur is the district headquarters of the Chitwan District, as well as a separate Municipal authority, and is the seventh largest city of Nepal with the population of 89,323 . The estimated population for...
with assistance from the government of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
In November 1994, he called for a dissolution of parliament and general elections after a procedural defeat on the floor of the House when 36 Members of Parliament (MPs) of his party went against a government-sponsored vote of confidence. This led to the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist)-led coalition coming to power in the elections that followed
Nepalese legislative elections, 1994
The 1994 Nepalese legislative election took place in Nepal on 15 November 1994 to elect the Nepal House of Representatives . The election took place after the previous Nepali Congress government collapsed and King Birenda called new elections...
.
Second term
Koirala took over as Prime Minister from Surya Bahadur ThapaSurya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa has been Prime Minister of Nepal five times, under three different kings, in a political career lasting nearly 50 years. His terms were 1963-64, 1965–69, 1979–83, 1997–98 and 2003-04....
following the collapse of the coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
led by Thapa. Koirala first headed a Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
minority government until December 25, 1998, after which he headed a three-party coalition government with the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the Nepal Sadhbhawana Party.
Third term
Koirala became Prime Minister in 2000 for his third term following the resignation of Krishna Prasad BhattaraiKrishna Prasad Bhattarai
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was a Nepalese political leader. As a leader of the Nepali Congress Party, he made his position by transitioning Nepal from an absolute monarchy to a democratic multi-party system.Bhattarai was twice the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the Interim Government from 19...
, under whose leadership the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
Party had won the parliamentary election. The party had won claiming that Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was a Nepalese political leader. As a leader of the Nepali Congress Party, he made his position by transitioning Nepal from an absolute monarchy to a democratic multi-party system.Bhattarai was twice the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the Interim Government from 19...
would be the Prime Minister, but Koirala led a group of dissident MPs and forced Bhattarai to resign or face a no-confidence motion. At that time Nepal was fighting a civil war against the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). During his third term as Prime Minister, his government was plagued by allegations of corruption. Following the massacre in the Royal Palace
Narayanhity Royal Palace
The Narayanhiti Palace Museum, or Narayanhiti Durbar , is a palace in Kathmandu, Nepal which long served as a primary residence for the country's monarchs. Narayanhiti, in Narayanhiti Palace, is made up of two words ‘narayan’ and ‘hiti’...
, Koirala was further criticized for his perceived inability to handle the crisis. Koirala resigned in July 2001 after which the military was mobilized in the civil war for the first time, something Koirala had unsuccessfully attempted to do while in office. He was replaced by former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister. He is the second senior most leader of the Nepali Congress. He has twice been elected as the leader of parliamentary party of the Nepali Congress, thus enabling him to be elected twice as the Prime Minister of Nepal.He has...
, who was elected by a majority of members of the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
.
Fourth term
After the Loktantra Andolan2006 democracy movement in Nepal
The 2006 Democracy Movement is a name given to the political agitations against the direct and undemocratic rule of King Gyanendra of Nepal. The movement is also sometimes referred to as Jana Andolan-II , implying it being a continuation of the 1990 Jana Andolan.-Reinstitution of Parliament:In a...
and the reinstatement of the Nepal House of Representatives, Pratinidhi Sabha, on 24 April 2006, Koirala was selected to become Prime Minister by the leaders of the Seven Party Alliance.
The reinstated House of Representatives passed laws to strip the King of his powers and bring the Army under civilian control.
Following the promulgation of the interim constitution, Koirala, as the Prime Minister, became the interim head of state of Nepal.
On 1 April 2007, Koirala was re-elected as Prime Minister to head a new government composed of the SPA and the CPN (Maoist).
Following the April 2008 Constituent Assembly election
Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, 2008
A general election for the Constituent Assembly was held in Nepal on 10 April 2008 after having been postponed from earlier dates of 7 June 2007 and 22 November 2007. The Nepalese Constituent Assembly will draft a new constitution; it will therefore decide, amongst other things, on the issue of...
, the Constituent Assembly voted to declare Nepal a republic on 28 May 2008. Koirala, speaking to the Constituent Assembly shortly before the vote, said that "we have a big responsibility now"; he said that Nepal was entering a "new era" and that "the nation's dream has come true".
In the discussions on power-sharing that followed the declaration of a republic, the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
proposed that Koirala become the first President of Nepal; however, the CPN (Maoist), which had emerged as the strongest party in the Constituent Assembly election, opposed this. At a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on June 26, 2008, Koirala announced his resignation, although it would not be finalized until after the election of a President, to whom the resignation had to be submitted.
Koirala was present for the swearing in of Ram Baran Yadav
Ram Baran Yadav
Dr Ram Baran Yadav is the current President of Nepal. He was elected in July 2008 and is the country's first President. He previously served as Minister of Health and as General Secretary of the Nepali Congress party....
, the first President of Nepal, on July 23, 2008. He submitted his resignation to Yadav later on the same day. CPN (M) Chairman Prachanda
Prachanda
Puspa Kamal Dahal ; born Chhabilal Dahal on 11 December 1954, also known as Prachanda ]]. Prachanda led CPN as it launched an insurgency on 13 February 1996. In 2008 the ensuing civil war culminated in the overthrow of the Shah dynasty in favor of a communist...
was elected by the Constituent Assembly to succeed Koirala on August 15, 2008, and Koirala congratulated Prachanda
Prachanda
Puspa Kamal Dahal ; born Chhabilal Dahal on 11 December 1954, also known as Prachanda ]]. Prachanda led CPN as it launched an insurgency on 13 February 1996. In 2008 the ensuing civil war culminated in the overthrow of the Shah dynasty in favor of a communist...
on this occasion.
Recent activity
Towards the end of his life, Koirala was leading a democratic front composed of parties that supported and promoted liberal democratic principles and aspired to establishment of a long-term democratic form of governance in Nepal. To honor his special role in resolving the Maoist conflict in Nepal, the Nepalese government recently nominated him for the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
.
Simple Convictions: My Struggle for Peace and Democracy
Death
Koirala died at his daughter's home on 20 March 2010 at the age of 85, having suffered from asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
and pulmonary disease. His funeral was held at Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath temple
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, Nepal is a secular country...
in Kathmandu on March 21. Upon receiving news of his death, numerous politicians released statements of condolence. The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
described him as a "national guardian". Indian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
released a statement expressing his condolences, saying "Koirala was a mass leader and a statesman, whose knowledge and wisdom guided the polity of Nepal in the right direction at critical junctures in the country's history," while Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, Secretary-General of the United Nations said Koirala "fought fearlessly and at considerable personal sacrifice for justice and democratic rights in his country" and senior Maoist politician Baburam Bhattarai
Baburam Bhattarai
Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is a Nepalese politician who became the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal in August 2011. He is a senior Standing Committee Member and vice chairperson of Unified Communist Party of Nepal . His party started a revolutionary People's War in Nepal in 1996 that ultimately led to the...
said Koirala "will be much missed, especially now that the country is nearing the end of the peace process that he facilitated".