Yesterday’s primary conference of the MPRP approved
the proposal to change the name of the party, though a final decision will be
taken only at the ensuing general assembly. The General Secretary of the MPRP,
U.Khurelsukh, answers our journalist’s questions on this sensitive subject and
on what else happened at the conference.

How did members react to the proposal to
change the name?

The 90th anniversary of the establishment of the party will be soon and
many members thought it is time to review the ideology of the founders and to
change the name as times, too, have changed. What is now the MPRP was founded
by General D.Sukhbaatar, D.Bodoo and S.Danzan in 1921 and was named the
Mongolian People’s Party (MPP). The word “Revolutionary” was added at a party
conference in 1925.

The Terelj Manifesto written by Managing
Council wants a name change. Members discussed the Manifesto and agreed with the
proposal. The final decision will be taken at the general assembly, so there is
time for more deliberation and consultation. We are a party of the people so we
should seek their views on what they think of changing the party’s name and
also its ideological thrust. We shall talk to the masses, and ascertain the
views of scholars. The general assembly will finally resolve all issues.

Does the MPP still
exist?

A
citizen, N.Enkhee, keeps claiming that it does, but he is wrong.

How do you say this?

The Supreme
Court dismissed on July 30, 2006 a petition by this N.Enkhee about the MPP. The
MPRP explained to the Supreme Court in 1990 that MPRP is the same party as the
earlier MPP. Nothing but the name had been changed and the party remained the
same.

Do you think changing
the party’s name before the election would be wise? If you lose the election
because of the confusion, who would take the responsibility?

If
the party loses the election because of the name change, I will take the
responsibility.

You may say so, but
who actually took the responsibility after earlier defeats in elections, Parliamentary
or Presidential?

The MPRP practice is that the leader of the party is held responsible in case
of a defeat in a Parliamentary election, and we shall stick to this. However,
in a Presidential election, the party nominates its candidate but he contests
as an individual. His program is his own and not the MPRP’s. Thus the party
cannot be blamed for any defeat, and certainly not the leader of the party.

Former President
N.Enkhbayar says the present leadership of the party has not been effective.
What do you feel?

He has his own assessment but we do not agree with it. We have watched how our
party chairman has interacted with the masses, both in the countryside and in towns
and how he has listened to people’s ideas. The general assembly will review our
successes and mistakes in the last two decades and discuss the shape of our
future policy and purpose. The goal of developing the country remains the same
but the ideological tools need reshaping. We have to correct what will be
identified as mistakes. Reform is an eternal process in the life of a political
party.

Enkhbayar has said he
offered to play a role in the affairs of the party, but his erstwhile comrades
feel he has nothing to give and that the public has the similar opinion that he
is a spent force. What do you say about this?

The party is open to all members and any member has the right to take part in
party activities. It is good that Enkhbayar has feelings for the party. It will
be good for us to listen to his views.

What do you think of
his opposition to the Terelj Manifesto and the proposal to adopt a new ideology?

MPRP
believes in democracy and all members can express their personal opinion and
views. This is a basic freedom. Our desire to be pragmatic does not mean we have
to abandon our leftist orientation or forsake the principles of the Socialist International
of which we are a member. We shall discuss theory and practice on September 15.