Radha Krishna Mainali, better known as R. K. Mainali (born September 26, 1946 in Chokpur, Taplejung District[1]) is a Nepalese politician. In the early 1970s he was one (along with his brother, C.P. Mainali) of the radical communists who led the Jhapa rebellion, inspired by the Naxalite movement in India.[2]

Radha Krishna Mainali
Former Minister for sports and education
In office
1 February 2005 – 25 April 2006
PresidentKing Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah
Personal details
Born (1946-09-26) 26 September 1946 (age 77)
Chokpur, Taplejung, Nepal
Political partyCPN (ML)
CPN (UML) (before 1998)
CPN (ML) -1998 (1998–2002)
UCPN (2002–present)

R.K. Mainali was imprisoned in 1973, and was not released until 1986. After his release he argued that the communists should form broadbased movements for democratic change. By this time he was a leading member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist).[3] He was a prominent leader of the 1990 Jana Andolan as the Acting Chairman of the United Left Front, and was one of four Jana Andolan leaders to appear on national TV on April 8, 1990 to declare that the movement for democracy had been victorious.[4][5]

He later became a leading figure in the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (which the CPN(ML) had merged into). R.K. Mainali contested the Jhapa-5 constituency in the 1994 parliamentary election. He won the seat with 16,361 votes, defeating the Nepali Congress candidate Surya Narayan Tajpuriya.[6] After the election he became Minister for Agriculture, Land Reforms and Management in the CPN(UML) minority government headed by Man Mohan Adhikari.[7] Mainali was Minister of Health in the coalition government led by Lokendra Bahadur Chand between March 12, 1997, and October 6, 1997.[8]

In 1998 he took part in a split and the formation of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist). He became a politburo member of the new CPN(ML).[9][10] He was a candidate of CPN(ML) in the 1999 parliamentary election, but lost his seat.[11]

In 2002, when CPN(UML) and CPN(ML) reunified, Mainali returned to CPN(UML), and became a member of the party's Standing Committee.[12] However, in July 2003 his party membership was suspended due to his disagreements with the party.[13] Mainali had criticized the tactics of the party and advocated rapprochement with King Gyanedra.[4]

After the royal coup on February 1, 2005, R.K. Mainali sided with the monarch and became Minister for Education & Sports in his cabinet.[14] Following the overthrow of the royal cabinet in April 2006, Mainali has denied responsibility for the repression unleashed on protestors during the popular upsurge in that year (Loktantra Andolan).[15] In September 2010, Mainali joined the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).[16]

References edit

  1. ^ K.C., Surendra. Aitihasik dastavej sangroh - bhag 2. Kathmandu: Pairavi Prakashan, 2063 B.S.. p 453.
  2. ^ Thapa, Deepak (May 2001). "Day of the Maoist". Himāl. The Southasia Trust. Archived from the original on 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  3. ^ Nickson, R. Andrew (November 1992). "Democratisation and the growth of communism in Nepal: a Peruvian scenario in the making?" (PDF). Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics. 30 (3): 358–386. doi:10.1080/14662049208447640. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  4. ^ a b Ghanashyam, Ojha (2004-03-07). "UML expels RK Mainali from party post". Kantipur Online. Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd. Archived from the original on January 4, 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  5. ^ Pant, Saroj (2001). "One step Toward a Brighter Future: The pro-Democracy Movement in Nepal 1990-91". Asmita. ASMITA Women's Publishing House, Media & Resource Organization. Archived from the original on 2006-12-07. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  6. ^ "Finalised Constituencies With Top Two Candidates". election.gov.np. 1999. Archived from the original on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  7. ^ "Background Notes:Nepal". dosfan.lib.uic.edu. United States Department of State. January 1995. Archived from the original on December 30, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2008-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Their View". www.nepalnews.com. Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. 1999-08-09. Archived from the original on 2004-10-29. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  10. ^ "News Notes". www.nepalnews.com. Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. 2000-12-15. Retrieved 2006-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Kraemer, Karl-Heinz (2006-01-05). "Elections in Nepal: 1999 and Before". nepalresearch.org. Nepal Research. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2018-09-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "News Notes". www.nepalnews.com. Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd. August 2003. Retrieved 2006-12-31.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Events Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Nepal". www.np.emb-japan.go.jp. Embassy of Japan in Nepal. August 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  15. ^ Mainali denies role in excesses[dead link]
  16. ^ http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/2-political/9510-rk-mainali-changes-his-avatar-again-joins-ucpn-maoist.html[permanent dead link]