Four political parties release election manifestoes

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 16: Four political parties-- Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Nepal Workers Peasant Party, Ujyalo Nepal Party and Progressive Democratic Party—have released their election manifestoes or commitment papers.  

They unveiled their pledges at separate events in Kathmandu on Sunday.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has issued a one-pager ‘contract paper’ expressing a pledge to uphold liberal economy with social justice, reformed provincial structures, inclusive representation, and respect for Sanatan civilisation.

The document was made public to meet the requirement to publish the party manifesto by Sunday, as mandated by the Election Commission, and the party stated that it would publish its election manifesto on Thursday.

The RSP also promised to protect religious and cultural diversity, exercise balanced international relations and expand the diaspora’s strength and soft power. 

The party promised to establish a reliable, virtuous state through an ‘anti-corruption mega campaign’ for policy, conduct and institutional reform. 

Universal digital delivery of government services, ending politicisation and forming a high-level commission to investigate assets acquired since 1990, reform in public education, quality healthcare, guarantee of integrated social security, and construction of reliable energy grid are the party’s priority areas. 

It has promised to reduce forced migration by creating 1.2 million new formal jobs, increase installed electricity capacity to 15,000 MW and complete 10 signature projects. 

The Nepal Workers Peasant Party has also released its election manifesto with proposals to create legal provisions, including nationalising the property of corrupt individuals and severely penalising guilty of major corruption cases.

Conducting a programme on Sunday, party Chairman Narayan Man Bijukshey has released the manifesto targeting the election for the House of Representatives scheduled for March 5.

This Party has also issued its commitment to abolish the legal system that grants citizenship based on descent to foreign children who have acquired Nepali citizenship by birth, and to build ropeways, cable cars, tunnels, and railways in the remote areas.

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The party has included an agenda to oppose the act of taking loans to pay government employees' salaries.

It is also stated that every elected representative should be active, remaining with the people in their candidacies.

Progressive Democratic Party (Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party), co-chairs Durga Sob and Santosh Pariyar jointly presented the party’s commitment statement. 

The emphasised full inclusivity, social justice and equality, participatory governance, economic and cultural rights, good governance, transparency, and progressive reform. The party argued that traditional political parties have failed to address current challenges and evaluate future possibilities realistically and claimed that it will offer clear vision, ideological clarity, forward-looking youth leadership, and concrete plans and programmes to lead the country towards prosperity.

Meanwhile, Ujyaalo Nepal Party chairman Kulman Ghising pledged to accelerate national development by declaring a ‘Decade of Development.’ 

The party aims to achieve rapid economic growth, targeting nearly USD 7 billion in annual revenue by 2030 through nine per cent yearly growth.

 By 2035, the party plans to raise annual growth to 10 per cent, increasing revenue to USD 11 billion, with a per capita income of around USD 4,000, positioning Nepal as a middle-income country.