Skip to main content

Political fantasy

The Himalayan Times

11 March 2021

Political fantasy

The Supreme Court’s (SC) recent decision nullifying the unification between the CPN-UML and the CPN-MC was a legal blow to both the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) factions “SC deals legal blow to teetering ruling party” (THT, March 8, Page 1). Their frustration was seen in the recent session of House of Representative (HoR) which had met after it was reinstated by the Supreme Court (SC) 15 days ago. Dahal-Madhav Nepal faction walked out of the house showing concerns over the legitimacy of the government and dissatisfaction of Speaker’s role in the House “Ruckus in House over ordinance” (THT, March 8, Page 1).


Surprisingly, the SC’s decision to award the Nepal Communist Party to Rishiram Kattel, who had lodged a complaint two years ago at the SC, came at a time when the two factions of NCP were separately claiming ownership of the NCP and its symbol at the Election Commission (EC) soon after PM Oli had dissolved the HoR and called the mid-term election. Following the SC’s decision, the almost two-third majority government in the HoR has now become a coalition government. What a political fantasy in the political history of the country.

It is yet to be seen now how the NCP’s factions will chart their political courses in the days to come. In fact, they were on the verge of a split since the last nine months, blaming and publicly accusing each other for no specific reasons. Now, the political parties and their leaders are starting to play a give and take game to form the next coalition government. But, don’t be surprised if the UML and the Maoist Centre come together to form the next government. Also, it would not be surprising to see a coalition government of Maoist (Centre), Nepali Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party. Time will tell. 

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Fragile Majority of Balen Shah’s Government

Whether the Balendra "Balen" Shah -led government will complete its full five-year term seems mathematically and politically viable but remains uncertain. His Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) holds a strong majority with 182 out of 275 seats in the House of Representatives (HOR). This gives his government a strong political holding and leads the country with a comfortable majority to fulfil its objectives and mission. However, the smooth administration and timely and successful implementation of development activities as desired by his government depends totally on the traditional bureaucratic system which could threaten its stability and political uncertainty. Key Factors Threatening Longevity Internal Party Dissent: It recently completed 100 days its term, several ruling party lawmakers began publicly criticizing Prime Minister Shah's rigid leadership style and the government's policy execution. Institutional Resistance: The administration's sweeping 100-...

Political surprises of Balen led government

Prime Minister Balen Shah’s government has broken from decades of entrenched patronage politics  in its 100 days as called " honeymoon period ". Marked by rapid shifts, sweeping administrative overhauls, and bold foreign policy maneuvers, his tenure has generated several defining political surprises. Sweeping Governance & Administration Overhauls: A New Cabinet Standard : His government bypassed traditional veteran politicians, forming a 15-member cabinet that made national headlines for exclusively consisting of highly educated professionals. Dismantling Party Unions: In his first cabinet meeting, he shocked the civil service by pushing to abolish party-affiliated trade unions and aggressively streamlining federal ministries from 25 down to 17. The " 100-Point Agenda " : His governemnt immediately published a strict, delivery-focused 100-point reform agenda with measurable deadlines, aiming to completely digitize office management and track adminis...

Strong government weak opposition

In the general elections held on March 5, 2026 the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won overwhelmingly 182 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives (HOR). Accordingly, a new majority government was formed under the leadership of RSP senior leader Balendra (Balen) Shah , without the support of any political party.    The RSP enjoys a comfortable majority government, whereas the oppositions are in weak positions in the national political history. The Nepali Congress (NC) has been reduced to a mere 38 seats. The CPN-UML holds 25, the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) 17, the Shram Sanskriti Party (SSP) 7, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) just 5. No other party managed to get even 10 percent of the total seats other than the NC. When the opposition is significantly weaker than a strong ruling party, the foundational checks and balances of a democratic system might be significantly weakened or break down. This has raised a fundamental question for the democratic republic ...