Girija Prasad Koirala

Girja Prasad Koirala is the oldest and most influential leader in Nepali politics. He is 84 years old, but still actively involved in most of the important decision making processes. Currently, he is the president of Nepali Congress. He has become Prime Minister six times, the highest in the history of Nepal. He has also become the president of Nepali Congress for almost two decades now.

Younger brother of popular Nepali leader BP Koirala, GP Koirala was elected to the erstwhile House of Representatives after the restoration of democracy in 1991. He unanimously became the leader of the NC parliamentary party and as per the provisions became the Prime Minister as Nepali Congress had a clear majority in House.

His first term as the Prime Minister was not a pleasant one. A lot of changes took place in Nepal's policy as expected, but his government could not provide stability. Although, NC had a comfortable majority in both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, Koirala recommended the king for the dissolution of the HoR after three years when crisis deepened within his party.

Apparently as a result of mis-administration for three years, his party suffered a sad defeat in the mid-term elections. From 114 seats in teh 205 member House, it reduced to less than 80 becoming the second largest party in the House.

He contested against party leader Chiranjibi Wagle for the post of party president and won with a comfortable majority in the general convention in 1994.

Koirala again became the Prime Minister sometimes around 1999 just before the next elections. Nepali Congress won the elections this time, but Koirala proposed another party leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai become the Prime Minister.

Koirala played a very important and praiseworthy role during the people's movement in 2005. He earned a lot of applause for bringing the rebelling Maoists to mainstream politics and have them renounce arms. After the people's movement, Koirala has become even more influential in Nepal politics.

He is often considered the king-maker of Nepali politics. Lately, Koirala has come under criticism for unduely promoting his daughter within and outside the party. His unilateral decision to forward daughter Sujata Koirala, first as the leader of the NC team and later as the deputy prime minister, miffed many senior leaders of Nepali Congress, hence increasing hatred towards Koirala.

As a result, probably for the first time in the history of Nepali Congress, the Mahasamiti meeting that concluded recently rejected Koirala's plea to continue with the presidential system as opposed to the mult-post leadership proposed by some leaders by voting for a statute draft that largely trims down the authority of the president in the party.

Since about two weeks or so Koirala is sick. He is suffering from complications in lungs. After initial treatment at the Ganga Lal Heart Centre Kathmandu he has been taken to Singapore for further investigation and treatment of the disease.

His daughter Sujata Koirala said over the phone this morning, Koirala's health has considerably improved. He is almost fit now and is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on Sunday.

Come Koiralaji, the nation is waiting for you! Come and clear the mess you contributed to create once again.