NEPALI POLITICS

  The Himalayan Times 17 February 2023 Misuse of authority The Dahal-led coalition government’s recent decision to observe People’s War Day as a public holiday after 28 years drew wide criticism from nook and corner and even brought the conflict survivors out in the streets. Constitutional experts and civil society members criticized PM Dahal for misusing his authority by declaring national holiday for the almost forgotten so-called people’s war that cost the lives of 17,000 innocent people in the name of liberating common people of their hardships, bad governance, corruption and social discrimination. It was learnt that his three deputies namely, Bishnu Paudel, Naryan Kaji Shrestha and Rajendra Lingden, were not present, while making this controversial decision at the cabinet meeting, and despite objecting his verbal proposal by the other members of his cabinet. The Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) termed the government’s controversial decision as against the fundamental

  The Himalayan Times 10 February 2023 Who is the next president? The Election Commission (EC) has decided to hold the presidential election–to elect the country’s third president on March 9, 2023. In accordance with 2015 constitution, a total of 334 members from the Federal Parliament – both from lower and upper Houses and 550 members from the seven provincial assemblies will vote to elect the third president, whose primary responsibility is to promote national unity of the country and ensure compliance and protection of the Constitution. Following the EC’s announcement of the date for the presidential election, seven-party alliance and the Nepali Congress (NC) have started their intense deliberations on identifying their candidate for the next president. Some people are even suggesting a ‘non-political’ person as the new president considering the controversial role played by the previous and incumbent president. Are you interested to create your personal blog Now, the time ha

The Himalayan Times 3 February 2023 Lamichhane’s rise and fall Rabi Lamichhane , a popular television journalist, who set the world record for hosting the longest-ever television talk show broadcast in April 2013, surprisingly started his political journey by forming the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), just six month prior to the general election held on November 20 last year. To everyone’s amazement, his party won 20 seats in the House of Representatives (HoR) and became the fourth largest party in the House. Following this unexpected electoral success, the RSP joined the Dahal-led seven-party coalition government under Lamichhane’s leadership as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs. He achieved this remarkable political accomplishment in just six months of his political journey.  Federalism - can Nepal sustain it? His sudden political rise and fall has, however, put himself and the RSP in a weakened political position. His abrupt resignation from the post of depu