Post-election scenario

The Himalayan Times

25 November 2022

Post-election scenario

After months of heavy preparation and campaigning, Nepal successfully held the second provincial and federal election on Sunday, November 20, following the promulgation of 2015 constitution, which will elect 275 candidates for the House of Representatives and 550 candidates for the seven provincial assemblies. The first provincial and federal elections were held in 2017. The elections were mainly a contest between the two major alliances, the five party-ruling alliance led by the Nepali Congress (NC) and the other led by the main opposition CPN-UML. However, the entry of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and independent candidates was an interesting political event in the election this time in Nepal.

Senior political leaders’ opportunistic marriages of convenience have created frustration among the common people, resulting in low voter turn-out. However, they have been able to retain their seats in their respective constituencies. The newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which unexpectedly and surprising is doing well in the federal elections, based on the votes secured in the early stages of vote-counting, had decided not to field candidates in provincial elections. The challenge from the young candidates without any political backgrounds of the RSP and other independent candidates in this general election has given a clear message to the senior leaders of the major political parties to seriously contemplate their past unethical political acts for their future political existence.

It seems that the post-election results will take the nation into an even bigger political mess. No single party will be able to form a government, which might call for a coalition government, resulting in more than two parties having different political principals joining hands to run the government. Looking at the number of seats won by RSP in this federal election, its role seems to be crucial in order to form the next government. However, considering its six months’ existence in the national politics, lack of political experience and its indistinguishable administrative and operational structure, one cannot ascertain its effectiveness in addressing the national issues. However, it remains to be seen how the RSP will play its political role in the days to come.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj