By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev, the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964, once said that politicians are the same all over and they promise to build bridges even when there are no rivers. His saying is more relevant in a country like ours which is endowed with political parties with corrupt, ruthless, unaccountable incompetent and arrogant politicians.
Just to recall, Nepal restored democracy in 1990 after several peaceful struggles. Soon after, the country experienced a decade-long armed struggle from 1996-2006 killing over 17000 innocent people and injuring many. With the signing of the comprehensive peace accord, the decade dance of death came to an end. The warring parties while signing the peace deal agreed to work together burying their hatchets and laying the foundation for rapid economic growth and lasting peace.
Ever since the restoration of democracy, our politics revolve around three major parties- Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist Centre, though some new entrant like Rastriya Swantantra Party is challenging the status quo. They have been making airy and lofty promises to uplift the socio economic status of people. But this has just remained a paper tiger.
Nepali Congress ruled the country several times. It never tried to understand the nerves of the people. Day to day problems of the people were never taken seriously. There was bickering over power and position within the party. Consequently, it had to face humiliating defeat at the hands of the Maoist Center and CPN-UML in the elections. This is not to say that CPN-UML and Maoist fared better. They were no different in terms of governance.
It is a fact that political parties, be they left or right, make lofty promises and agendas in the run-up to the election. They tend to make us believe the unbelievable. This has been their hallmark ever since we restored democracy. The next general election in the country is slated for four years from now in 2027. But our political parties have already begun their work and making arrangements to fool us one more time and govern us in the name of democracy.
Mission 2084 referring to the next general election is yet another conspiracy of our political parties, be it the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML or Maoist Center. In an attempt to deceive us, the major parties have been intensifying their efforts in the view of awareness campaigns across the country. They are telling us to vote for them and experience the massive change.
To start with, the CPN-UML, as part of the nationwide campaign titled Jhulaghat-Chiwabhanjyang: Resolution Journey for Prosperity, the main opposition, the CPN-UML, has been holding rallies and meetings with the participation of its chair and other high-ranking figures. The objective of the rallies and campaigns is to prepare for the 2084 general election. In his speeches, chair KP Sharma Oli has criticized the present ruling coalition saying that it will tumble very soon. He came down heavily on the Prime Minister and said that once anti-imperialist and anti-expansionist had become their darling at present.
While CPN-UML was reaching every nook and cranny of the country, the Rastriya Swantantra Party led by Rabi Lamichhane was leaving no stone unturned to woo the Madhesh people. Not only within the country, many senior leaders of the party have been visiting foreign countries where a significant number of migrant workers currently reside sharing their agenda and vision. Only time will tell whether such a strategy will deliver the result.
Meanwhile, the largest party in the parliament, the Nepali Congress, has been intensifying its effort to strengthen its standing with voters. The grand old party has organized the “Congress Amidst Communities” program with the sole objective of enhancing its base at the community level. Similarly, a few months ago, it implemented an organizational building initiative to lift the spirits of party workers and keep a hold on its voters. Though the Nepali Congress is the largest party in the present ruling coalition, it is under constant fear that it might face a humiliating defeat in the next election.
On the other hand, the CPN-Maoist Centre has been running the campaign “Maoist with People and Special Transformation Campaign. Like the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, the Maoist Centre under the leadership of Prachanda has been attempting to re-strengthen its foothold in many places. After joining peaceful politics, the former rebels have seen several ups and downs. Its many senior leaders have parted ways citing dissatisfaction with the working modality of the party. So much so, that the people who supported them during the emergency are now losing faith in them alleging them of no different than other parties.
The Janata Samajwadi Party, which is mostly headquartered in Madhesh, has recently launched and jumped on the bandwagon. It recently launched campaigns in hilly regions to strengthen its position there. The party which has failed to meet the aspiration of Madheshi is attempting to woo the hill voters. This looks very strange. But as there is a saying that politicians are known for fooling the people, the Madhesh-based parties could succeed in fooling the hill voters.
While major parties have been attempting to deceive the people, the CPN (Unified Socialist) could not remain aloof. Alike other parties, It also has been running several campaigns across the country. A number of these parties’ top officials have also made door-to-door visits to gather information about the state of the populace.
No doubt, the periodic election makes democracy stronger. It gives new life to the political system. As responsible citizens, we must take part in elections and cast our previous votes. However, we must not be swayed by their bogus narratives and agenda. We should use our rational and crucial thinking and elect the right parties and leaders so that we will not suffer for the next five years.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
Login to add a comment