Crisis In Politics

The Gen Z protests have sent a powerful message: political parties and leaders now can’t afford to weigh public frustration lightly. Not even in their wildest dreams had they thought that they would be running for their lives. And the situation they found themselves in was a result of their own deeds. In public appearances and interviews in the media, political leaders used to sound so arrogant and self-absorbed, their speeches barely addressing the collective plight of commoners.

With Sushila Karki leading the interim government, Nepali citizens have experienced a change of scenario, even if it might be for a short while. It’s crystal clear that three leaders—Oli, Deuba, and Prachanda—are in no mood to terminate their political careers. In their respective parties, they have such a stronghold that no dissenting voices dare to confront them. When a finger is pointed at their wrongdoings, these party chairs go as far as removing the dissidents from the party altogether. Such is their aura and arrogance.

The leaders’ failure to recognize the pent-up anger of the youth also justified their lax manner. Had they addressed the concerns of the young population, they wouldn’t have to face this fate. Surprisingly, the government’s decision to put a ban on social media backfired on itself. It was irrational for the government to even imagine that the youth would recoil from the social media ban. Public disillusionment was always there, and the government itself fuelled the flames by taking such a drastic step.

Things have changed now, and it’s worthless discussing ifs and buts. The Gen Z may have ousted the allegedly corrupt ministers from their seats, but hopefully, that was not their ultimate vision. In the current scenario, it seems that the forthcoming election will bring the same old leaders to the forefront. If the old faces again make it to power, then the Gen Z uprising will just be remembered as a clueless battle. The three major parties have no option but to field new faces in the polls, but the problem lies in the persistent hunger of the old folk for power. 

The Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP) emerged as a beacon of hope in Nepali politics, showing remarkable results in the previous election. But now, it has lost its initial appeal owing to Rabi’s alleged involvement in cooperative scams. Also, the public has grown sick of his emotionally charged speeches and incessant gimmicks. In such a short span of time, the public has scaled it equal with “old parties.” Sumana Shrestha’s departure from the RSP has not only questioned her personality but also the internal workings of the party, which is self-centred like the three major parties.

If we scrutinise the leadership within the major parties, the void will justify that the parties were never serious about their own future. With power centred on just a solitary figure, the parties never groomed their future leaders. As a result, the next-generation leaders have almost no popularity compared to the Big Three.

So what’s next? It is widely speculated that a new party will be formed under populist figures like Balen Shah. As easy as it sounds, the public has hypothesised that his party will contest the election and single-handedly form the government. Let’s consider that everything will take place so smoothly. But the question remains: Will it honestly navigate the political complexities, or will it become the next ‘RSP’?