Nepal witnessed two important electoral events in 2022 – local elections on May 13 and provincial and federal elections on November 20. The results of both elections are disturbing given the political equation developing in the country among mainstream political parties including erstwhile hardliner Maoists party in a coalition government. An incumbent premier Sher Bahadur Deuba assumed the Nepal Executive when the Supreme Court overruled KP Oli’s Government to dissolve the Parliament violating constitutional provisions. As any layperson or expert opine Nepal’s stability is elusive. With government and governance as a crises-ridden phenomenon, citizens, the public, and people feel the pulse of political decay and political disorder infesting the country where systemic changes have been done but functional operations have been not well undertaken. The writer is often reiterating that public policy formulation, implementation, and delivery are a must to render democracy to enliven Nepal’s modern political history.
A betrayal has been done when a coalition government of the Deuba government forged an alliance ahead of the polls and Nepali Congress emerged as a top party in the Parliament. But a hapless situation developed when its coalition partner a diametrically and ideologically opposite Maoist Party led by Prachanda dramatically became a kingmaker and showed his claim to the Chief Executive with ministers from independent fringe parties. It shows how liquid politics and its dynamics surface in domestic affairs, lest managing geopolitics where intense rivalry and enmity is among three great powers – India, China, and the USA to vie for their dominance in this infant Himalayan socialist, secular, federal, and democratic republic. With the misery and agony of politics not catering to good governance, the rule of law, and principles and practices of democratic norms, the citizens are left with no choices but to begin quotidian affairs with hurts, bruising of realpolitik and ethical turpitude.
Nepal having been blessed with bountiful panoramas of geographical, topographical, and demographical diversity, an uncommon rectangular landscape south of the Himalayas is in a serendipity neighbourhood. But why Nepal is in this state of flux can not only be culpable to the leaders of today. And blame game has to stop and restart, renew, reset and readjust, and new settings can bring some relief needed given the despair and despondency why old and new generations have lost faith in the party system and political demeanor that is not bringing in any hope of reform, transform and perform its business allocation in time and in exigency. Shedding a legacy of the old state is not an overnight and many political, social, cultural, and economic movements have witnessed a newfound freedom after the restoration of democracy in 1990. Gender, ethnicity, inclusions, regional parity, and developing aspirations are expressed quite often now it was nearly impossible to exercise rights, liberties, and freedom before 1990.
If why Nepal, then why not Nepal embark on a trajectory of democracy considered to be the worst form of government but the best possible alternative of absolutist rule? Development dreams many see but development paradigms need astute and prudent decisions to follow given sovereignty vested in the people and direct and indirect constraints on geopolitical proximity to rivals great and old powers India and China and international interests of capitalist America, Europe, and Japan. I have been saying development plans, programs, and policies need sustainable measures, and implementation is a key to ensuring achievements so they are met with the optimization of resources – technical, human, and natural.
What seems daunting needs a simple approach to self-actualize and self realize duty-bound behavior. Recently after Trump’s denial of the election in 2020 USA, the bills of obligations are recalled to abide by constitutionalism, its principles, norms, and values in the world’s oldest democracy. A source of inspiration and aspiration needs constant renewal, renaissance, and rejuvenation in politics that can only refreshen our zeal to do our utmost and with excellence to include all and exclude none.
We are experiencing liquid politics but we are loosening our grip on ideological polemics. But there are proponents, patriots, and nationalists who call for unity and integrity. Given many forces interplay in domestic and international affairs, it is not division but factors of diversity and pluralism that become norms of polemics that we often overlook. Things may settle but ruptures do appear here and there when Hegelian dialectics get continuum.
