UML Deputy Parliamentary Party leader Subas Nembang. (Photo: Nepalkhabar)
Subas Nembang contested many elections in his life. At one time, he contested elections from the campus unit of the Professors' Association to the Secretary of the Supreme Bar Association and the General Secretary of the Nepal Bar.
He contested parliamentary elections seven times, five times in the House of Representatives and two times in the National Assembly. However, he did not remember losing any elections he contested. This year, at the age of 70, he had to taste defeat for the first time. That too in the highest position of the country.
"I have not lost any election contested so far," said Nembang, sitting in his office at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, "I lost the presidential election for the first time."
With this defeat, his dream of becoming the third president of the country was shattered, the country also lost the chance to get the first president from a tribal community. Ram Chandra Poudel has become the president from the election held on March 9.
He had a little hope because the majority of parliamentarians had promised to vote for him before the election. Everyone was praising his soft-spoken demeanor and simple personality. However, he was disappointed when the election results came out.
All the MPs said, “We need a personality like you. They did not support me while voting," he said.
Even before, when there was a chance to win, his name was under discussion for the presidency. However, the party did not make him a candidate at that time. Although he was sure to lose this time, he braced for the contest.
“I participated in many elections. Fortunately, I was winning the election. I still got immense love and affection from the people. However, I was defeated because I did not get support from the people's representatives elected by the people, my friends from all the parties said that I would win, and they said that you are a suitable person. However, the election results were not as expected,” Nembang said, “The desire not to block the road and not to block the sky while coming out of Sheetal Niwas remained unfulfilled. Congratulations and good luck to the one who has gone to it.”
It is natural to feel hurt when someone who has never lost an election loses. Nembang also seemed to be trying to forget the injury.
That's why he said, "I didn't feel sad about it, I took it positively."
That's why his daily life has become busier. The number of visitors to the office of the deputy parliamentary party leader at Singha Durbar goes unabated.
Also on Wednesday, Vice Chairman Bishnu Paudel, UML whip Mahesh Bartaula, and leader Shivamaya Tumbahamphe were waiting for him.
"Nowadays, the crowd is huge, honorable members come to meet to discuss and learn about the law," he added, "Some of them ask over the phone. I will answer."
An hour and ten minutes into his office, his phone rang several times.
Nembang sought limelight after becoming Constituent Assembly chairman
Nembang has been in parliament continuously since 2048 BS. He has been a member of the House of Representatives/Constituent Assembly continuously since 2056 BS. He was unanimously elected the chairman of the Constituent Assembly. He ran the Legislative Parliament well during that period.
His style of speaking slowly, answering everyone was charming. He gets less angry. Due to all these reasons, his popularity rose.
Nowadays, Nembang goes to the office almost every day. That too on office time. Most of his meetings are held there.
"I come to the office regularly, I meet those who do not want to meet in the parliament room. I meet someone outside. However, I don't hold political meetings at home," he said about his habit.
Now, as the deputy leader of the parliamentary party, he continues to share his parliamentary experience with those who visit him.
Speakers of the state assembly discuss and communicate about the parliament. "I exchange experiences," he said, "some of them contact me on the phone.
He said that he will have constant dialogue with journalists.
"When I was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly, I used to consider the press as an ex-officio member," he says. The press should point out the weakness of the Speaker of the Parliament, the Secretariat to the MPs. Lawmakers should know about the constitution, laws, practices, and rules, the press should also pay attention to the same."
"The parliamentary Party leader and chairman must work 24 hours a day. Many cases are discussed. You have to work by creating a lively relationship," his experience says.
Nembang calls party leaders comrades and MPs as 'honorable members'.
When he was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly for two terms, he got into the habit of calling MPs 'honorable members'. It still hasn't gone away.
Three generations in the legal profession, a mentor to judges
He is not the first from Nembang's family to do legal work. His father Ram Bahadur Nembang was the first judge of Nepal from the Limbu community.
That is why he was inspired to take up the profession of lawyer. Now his younger son is also involved in the advocacy business.
"My three generations are in the legal profession," he said. "Father Judge, I and my youngest son also started it."
He is a gold medalist student at Nepal Law Campus. He started teaching in the same campus at the end of 2034 BS.
"After becoming a gold medalist, he immediately started teaching," he said.
He used to teach in the college giving practice to many students who came to participate in the moot court exam.
Kalyan Shrestha had joined the law campus only six months before him. That is why he calls Shrestha a counterpart.
His advocacy business started with the firm of Senior Advocate Krishna Prasad Bhandari.
He also started his own Pioneer Law Associates.
Many of his students are occupying high positions in Nepal.
According to a leader close to him, now Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, Law Secretary Udaya Raj Sapkota and eight secretaries of various ministries are students of Nembang.
Supreme Court Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla is his student. Supreme Court Judge Manoj Sharma was in the law firm of Kumar Regmi Nembang. Similarly, Anju Upreti, who worked in his law firm, Rajkumar Ban is also a judge in the High Court. Milan Rai, who was the Legal advisor to Nembang during his stint as chairman of the Constituent Assembly, is also working in the Biratnagar High Court. Nembang was instrumental in bringing Justice Hari Phuyal to the Supreme Court.
Senior advocate Sushil Pant, Shambhu Thapa treat Nembang like a brother.
"I did not teach them but they call me brother," he said.
For this reason, whenever a legal question comes up, the party leaders look for him, take opinions with him.
"I come from a legal background. I am not only a legal professional, a senior lawyer, but also taught law for a long time," he said, 'Many of my students are active from the Parliament to the Supreme Court."
Upper House in youth, lower House in old age
He quit teaching in 2048 after being elected as a member of the National Assembly. There is also an interesting story of him reaching the National Assembly.
His birthplace is Ilam. Ancestral house in Panchthar. That is why initially the party gave him Panchthar and Ilam to contest the elections.
He said that he did not want to contest elections in Panchthar. Later his brother (cousin) Basanta Nembang, who was raised in Panchthar, got the chance to contest elections because it was Nembang's stronghold.
Until then, he did not like politics.
I said I would help as a lawyer, but Madan Bhandari, Madhav Nepal, KP Sharma Oli in the party wanted to bring me into politics. However, when I refused to contest the elections, they took me to the National Assembly," he said. "My youth (048-056) was spent in the upper house and when I got older, I reached the lower house."
He got a ticket from Ilam-2 in 2056 when UML broke up. UML did not have a good influence in that area.
"My teacher Kul Bahadur Gurung, who taught me English, also came from the same area," he said.
Nembang was not comfortable fighting with the Nepali Congress General Secretary, then Education Minister Gurung.
"I fought the election with my guru, I must say luckily I won that time and I am still winning from Ilam 2," he narrated.
Difference between Constituent Assembly and Parliament
Members of the Constituent Assembly also served as members of the Legislative Parliament along with the work of making the constitution.
"The Constituent Assembly did the work of making a bill from scratch, preparing the concept of the constitution, taking questions to the people, preparing the draft of the constitution and issuing it," Nembang said, "He was a member more powerful than the government in the Constituent Assembly. He used to give instructions, the government did the work."
However, the current parliament runs on the government's business. If the government does not provide business, the parliament will not get work.
The government discusses the bill through its own mechanism. So much so that even the concept of the bill is decided by the government. Parliament does not function for a single minute without a minister in the parliament.
That is why the Constituent Assembly will never be dissolved and the logo of that time can always be worn, he says.
UML, which was in power for a short time, is in opposition again. While concluding the conversation, we pointed to the large presence of MPs in the office of the Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Party and asked, "What is the main opposition preparing?"
Nembang said, "It's nothing like that, I'm a common person, honorable members come to learn with me, I'm easily available to everyone."
