Voters around the world have an anti-incumbency mentality, and it has been repeated in Nepal as well. However, the public opinion expressed this time is not only an anti-incumbency sentiment, but also a search for a new future.
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The message that came out of the ballot box in the 2082 election is not just an election result, but a manifesto of Nepali society aspiring for change. Nepali society has inaugurated a new journey with a new party and new leadership, forcibly changing the political script that has been revolving in the same political circle for years.
The trust shown by voters in the National Independent Party (NISP), which was established just three years ago, is not only for a new parliament and a new government, but also for new thinking, new mechanisms, and new momentum.
The two-thirds mandate received by a single party is not only a public complaint that Nepal has not made the expected progress in nearly three and a half decades, but also a transfer of the right to radically change the traditional structure without any conditions or compromises. Undoubtedly, the biggest responsibility of the new leadership is to ensure that Nepal will not remain the same after this election.
Voters all over the world have an anti-incumbency mentality, and it has been repeated in Nepal as well. However, the public opinion expressed this time is not only an anti-establishment sentiment, but also a search for a new future.
Voters have stopped not only the political adultery of the Congress, UML and CPN (then Maoist), which have been in power for decades, but also the political 'business' of regional parties. Therefore, this is not only a sign of political change, but also a mandate that carries the burden of expectations. Now, the responsibility of moving forward confidently, honestly and in a planned manner for at least five years has fallen on the shoulders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
This election has also destroyed a false narrative that no party can get a majority under Nepal's current electoral system, and that the government cannot 'deliver' when it comes to focusing and aligning its forces. However, yesterday, the heads of government were blaming the constitution to cover up their shortcomings in terms of competence and integrity.
However, this election has also washed away that excuse. Proposals such as tightening the 'threshold' of the proportional system for the formation of a 'stable government' have also become meaningless. This time, it has been proven that the majority of any party is determined not by the clauses, but by the trust of the people.
Every rebellion in the country has taken the system forward. Nepal has undoubtedly made a progressive journey towards a multi-party competitive system by ending the non-partisan Panchayat system.
After that, systems such as federalism, republicanism, and proportional inclusion have also made the system justice-oriented. But the rebellion by the Gen-G generation, angered by the unrest that had grown within the system, had rejected the generation that was considered the top of Nepali politics. The Gen-G rebellion was a political voice, and this election has given it constitutional legitimacy. Now the path has been paved to address the concerns of Nepali society, including Gen-G.
After the political changes of 2046 and 2062/63, there has been some positive progress towards infrastructure, human development, and social justice. But in the meantime, the leadership that came to power was mired in corruption, but was not held accountable for it, which has made the citizens so disappointed and angry.
With the establishment of good governance, the leadership is indifferent to the formulation and implementation of policies that are indispensable for creating jobs and increasing investment in the country, and today about 2.7 million youth are in the labor markets of the Gulf, Malaysia, Korea and East Asia. Similarly, millions of young people from Eastern Australia to Western America are in a situation where they have to consider visas as their gateway to success.
It cannot be expected that all problems will be made disappear by waving a magic wand as soon as the new government comes to power. Good governance and prosperity are themselves a long-term and continuous journey. But the journey of policy formulation and change in working style must begin immediately.
In this election, the defeated parties and leadership also have an opportunity to introspect, formulate people-oriented policies and constructively criticize the government. The stronger the power in politics, the greater the responsibility of the opposition. Since there is no scope for swinging in power, the opposition parties have had the opportunity to focus on their basic political responsibilities.
Similarly, citizens should not think that their responsibility is over after voting. In a democracy, the mandate is not only for forming a government, but also for continuously holding the government accountable. Therefore, citizen surveillance and vigilance must be continuous. The journey of the downfall of yesterday's rulers began because of declaring those who question them as enemies.
Therefore, the ruling party and its leaders should also take the citizen question as their guide. Continuous, lively and two-way dialogue between the citizen and the government will keep the government result-oriented and democracy dynamic.
