– Birat Anupam
The fifth session of the State Assembly of State 1 is beginning from Thursday afternoon. This session has been much-anticipated as it is finalizing the name of State 1 and its permanent capital after 2 years of its historic formation.
Biratnagar was declared as the temporary capital of state 1 on 6 May 2019. Since then the name of the state and its capital has not been put to discuss in the State Assembly sessions. This session, however, as said by Chief Minister of the State Sherdhan Rai in his repeated public speeches, will give a formal name to the state and its capital.
Six names on informal discussion
Though not discussed formally in the State Assembly, at least half dozen names are at play in various political and civilian discourses in the state. These names are from various fronts. Those, liking geographical landmarks as the name of state, have proposed Koshi, the biggest river of Nepal that flows in the state, and Sagarmatha, the highest peak of the planet Mt. Everest, as the name of the sate 1.
Likewise, political parties and civilians, who are in favor of identity, have floated some other names for the state. ‘Kirat’, ‘Limbuwan Kirat’ and ‘Bijayapur’ are names associated with identity politics.
Some have also talked about mixed model on naming the state. Combined name including geographical landmark and cultural identity has been put forth by some members of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Sarbadhwaj Sanba, the State Assembly member belonging to NPC said that Kirat-Limbuwan-Koshi can be a name of mixed model.
Koshi is the ‘most probable’ name
Based on already declared names on the 4 provinces ruled by NCP and some public remarks by senior leaders, it is likely that either Koshi or Sagarmatha will be the name of state 1.
Names of states like Karnali, Gandaki, Sudurpaschim, Bagmati are mainly based on landmarks. In the similar way, state 1, as said by many NCP leaders, is likely to be named based on the landmarks like Koshi and Sagarmatha.
Senior leader of NCP Madhab Kumar Nepal had already proposed this name in formal forums. Nepal had proposed to name ‘Koshi’ at a program orgained by NCP Itahari on 26 October 2019. ”How long should we wait to call your state by a name?”, Nepal had questioned state 1 government. He added, ”Go forward with the name Koshi.”
”Koshi is most probable name”, said an influential NCP leader of state 1 on condition of anonymity, ” Because it has backing both from ruling and the main opposition parties.”
State Assembly mathematics of state 1
According to the constitutional provision, two-thirds majority of the State Assembly can give permanent name of the state.
Currently, the ruling NCP has more than two-thirds of seats in the 93-member State Assembly. NCP has 67 members in the State Assembly.
The main opposition Nepali Congress has 21 seats and Socialist Party Nepal has three seats. Likewise, Rastriya Pajatantra Party and Limbuwan have one member each in the State Assembly.