The youth movement and, prior to the elections, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli were intoxicated with arrogance, pride, and authoritarianism. Questions and criticism were forbidden within the party. Oli’s whims became the party’s ideology. Leaders and cadres who held differing views became victims of Oli’s repression. Although the party claimed to uphold democracy in principle, in practice, monocracy and extreme personality cult dominated. In reality, by the standards of ideology, perspective, agenda, and conduct, there was no communist character left in the UML. Not only the UML, but most communist parties in Nepal are in a similar state.

The House of Representatives election has pushed Nepal’s major communist parties, already facing a crisis of legitimacy, into an even deeper crisis. At one time, communists had more than 60 percent of the popular vote, but now they have shrunk to around 20 percent. Of course, the state of communist politics cannot be determined solely by electoral results, but in parliamentary politics, election outcomes are the main basis for evaluating parties. Based on the results of the March 4 election, almost all communist parties in Nepal have been rejected by the voters.

Communist parties that failed to gain public support in the parliamentary elections do not appear to be in a position to recover. As if stunned by a major blow and trauma, the communist parties have not even shown the courage to search for the reasons for their rejection by the people, to review, or to analyze the situation and move forward. Communist parties that make no effort to resolve their internal problems have no prospect of developing ideas to solve the national political crisis. On the other hand, for more than two decades, communist parties have not engaged in theoretical or ideological debates about the national economic and political context, nor do they have any concrete political agenda. There is also no clear strategic plan for Nepal’s overall socio-economic transformation within the communist parties. National economic and political crises cannot be resolved by such large, inactive communist parties.

A Proud Legacy
The Communist Party of Nepal was established in 1949 by igniting the torch of rebellion against the autocratic hereditary Rana regime. The party not only ended the feudal, autocratic Rana-Shah rule, but also steadfastly fought for national independence, sovereign civil rights, equality, and justice. The agendas of liberation for the working class, laborers, peasants, and oppressed classes and communities were the party’s priorities. Whether it was ending the hereditary Rana regime or the struggle against the autocratic Panchayat system, communists led many of the people’s rebellions and struggles against feudal exploitation and oppression.

Communist parties have contributed and sacrificed in almost all past struggles for political change. From the movement to end the autocratic Panchayat system to the movements for republicanism, federalism, and the establishment of a secular state, communist parties have played a role. These movements, revolutions, and struggles enjoyed broad public support. It was because of the people’s support that past communist revolutions and struggles reached new heights and, to some extent, achieved political change as well as social and cultural transformation. Naturally, the movements for political change in Nepal were not carried out by communist parties alone; democratic, progressive, and other leftist forces also played equally important roles. Nevertheless, it was mainly the then-Maoists and other communist parties that played a decisive role in transforming the country into a republic and a federal system.

Because the communist parties failed to translate their promises and commitments to the people into practice, Nepal’s major communist parties are now facing questions about their very existence. The promises of revolutionary economic and political transformation of society, and the dream of liberation for the proletariat, working class, poor, and marginalized communities, were used by parliamentary communist leaders as ladders to power. The communist leadership, which reached power through the people’s sacrifices, ended up serving the interests of intermediaries, brokers, and capitalists. In reality, the communist parties and leaders who ascended to power became arrogant, authoritarian, and right-wing rulers in terms of agenda and role. When the communist party itself became immersed in right-wing tendencies, it undermined its own political objectives. Ultimately, the communist party and its leadership destroyed their own proud history of struggle.

Dimensions of the Crisis

The communist parties and movement in Nepal are in a state of crisis. Communist parties engaged in parliamentary politics are in turmoil and disarray following the election results, while those parties struggling against the parliamentary system have also failed to intervene at the level needed to resolve the national political crisis. In particular, the causes and dimensions of the crisis in Nepal’s major communist parties are discussed here:

There used to be debates and discussions within communist parties in Nepal about political philosophy, ideology, and perspectives. Within these parties, there were intense deliberations on topics such as perspectives on national and international situations, strategies for struggle, and tactics. On the one hand, the major communist parties did not implement the political perspectives and ideas they themselves developed, and on the other, they failed to develop new ideas, perspectives, and plans as required by changing times and circumstances. What kind of ideology would challenge global capitalism, the neoliberal and consumerist economy practiced in Nepal? What would be the ideological perspective for the liberation of the working class, poor, laborers, peasants, and oppressed classes and communities? What kind of state structure would ensure equality and justice? How should problems in the socio-cultural sphere be resolved? The communist parties have failed to develop new ideas on such issues. The main crisis and problem of the communist parties is their failure to implement the theoretical ideas they have accepted and their inability to develop new ideas suited to the context.

Communist parties that failed to gain public support in the parliamentary elections do not appear to be in a position to recover. As if stunned by a major blow and trauma, the communist parties have not even shown the courage to search for the reasons for their rejection by the people, to review, or to analyze the situation and move forward. The communist party believes in collective leadership. However, the main leadership of Nepal’s major communist parties does not accept collectivity. There is a tendency in communist leadership for individuals to become all-powerful, to prohibit questioning of the leadership, to punish those who comment on the leader’s ideas, perspectives, and style, and to expect deification—practices that are contrary to communist character. On the other hand, the main leaders of the major communist parties have been in leadership positions since their youth. The communist parties have completely rejected the practice of developing and transferring leadership to young and capable leaders. History shows that almost all struggles and revolutions led by communist parties were under the leadership of the younger generation. The tendency not to prepare new and young leadership and for the same person to perpetually capture the party’s leadership is also pushing the communist parties into decline.

The main task of the communist party is to end the exploitation, oppression, and injustice faced by the working class, poor, peasants, laborers, and marginalized classes, genders, and communities. It is to implement a social, political, and economic system based on equality and justice. However, the main focus of the major communist parties established through revolutionary movements has shifted to gaining power. Ignoring the issues of the people, the attention and energy of the party leadership have become centered on acquiring power, authority, and resources. The strategy of moving from one power position to another has benefited certain leaders, but for the general public, it has only resulted in betrayal of their dreams and expectations. Not only that, those who flatter and serve the leadership have grossly abused power, while honest leaders and cadres have been continually sidelined. The people have taught Nepal’s major communist parties a lesson because they used the communist movement as a ladder to power, but once in power, became centers for serving the interests of brokers and capitalists rather than transforming the people’s economic and social conditions.

The fundamental agenda of the communist party is class struggle. It is the party’s duty to wage a strong struggle against the historical discrimination, exclusion, exploitation, oppression, and injustice inflicted by the state on oppressed classes and communities. Not only that, it is also to struggle against capitalist oppression and financial exploitation, and to make the state accountable to the rights of the working class and communities. However, Nepal’s communist parties have strayed far from the people’s fundamental agendas. Corruption-free and inclusive good governance was once the agenda of the communist parties, but their leadership is now itself involved in corruption and irregularities. Cooperative, microfinance, and meter interest–victimized working people have been continuously struggling for justice. The government led by Balen Shah is oppressing landless squatters. People are forced to live in fear of the very state that should protect them. The communist parties are silent regarding the movements of these classes and communities resisting the power of the state’s guns. For a month and a half, Deepa Nepali and her group have been staging a sit-in demanding justice against discrimination in renting rooms due to being Dalit. There is a series of murders due to inter-caste marriages. The major communist parties show no concern or interest in such serious issues.

It has been a long time since indigenous nationalities, oppressed castes, and communities have been demanding recognition and respect for their linguistic and cultural identities. Federalism with recognition and respect for the identities of indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Tharus, and other oppressed communities has not been established. Nevertheless, efforts are being made to undermine federalism linked to the identity, self-respect, and liberation of oppressed communities. Yet, the communist parties do not develop any ideas or resistance on such serious issues.

Nepali society is diverse in terms of caste, gender, class, and community. The communist parties have accepted this reality. In particular, revolutionary political movements and the struggles of oppressed communities have established the principle of inclusive politics. The main policy-making committees of communist parties that accept the principle of proportional inclusion should have ensured meaningful proportional representation of women, Dalits, indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Tharus, Muslims, and other marginalized communities. However, the leadership of the communist parties, which should be fighting against patriarchy and the caste system, is itself not free from the dominance of patriarchal and privileged classes and communities. Therefore, the inability to make policies, structures, and practices inclusive, and the failure to make these agendas the party’s primary agenda, is also a reason for the weakening of public trust in the communist parties.

At one time, ending feudalism and establishing a republic were the main issues for the communist parties. State restructuring through the Constituent Assembly election was another important agenda. With the drafting of the constitution, building a socialist system became the agenda of almost all parties. However, the major communist parties never held debates or discussions about building a socialist system. What kind of socialism is being sought in Nepal? What kind of economy does the country need when the rich are getting richer and the poor, no matter how hard they work, cannot make a living? Every day, 2,500 youths are forced to go abroad for employment—what are the ways to create jobs in the country? There is still discrimination in society based on caste, gender, and identity. What kind of socialist system would end such discrimination? Such issues have not even become topics of discussion for Nepal’s communist parties. When people do not see a reflection of their problems being solved in the parties, it is natural that they withdraw their support. These are the ideological and practical crises of Nepal’s major communist parties.

Will They Disappear or Awaken?
Right-wing politics, which has spread worldwide, is also rapidly gaining momentum in Nepal. The government led by Balen Shah has been continuously oppressing the poor, working class, and communities. The finance minister is on a grand mission to make capitalists richer. The ruling party is attacking federalism, which was achieved through political struggle. Not only that, the government is moving forward with policies that directly contradict the principle of proportional inclusion. Just looking at government appointments, the so-called meritocracy is being used as a pretext to trample on the principle of proportional inclusion. Like India’s Modi government, attacks on secularism have intensified.