Kathmandu, March 6: Ballot boxes are being collected across the country after voting ended on Thursday. The Home Ministry said the election concluded peacefully with only a few minor incidents.
With the voting over, leaders from the private sector said they now expect stability and a better environment for business.
Prabal Jung Pandey, chair of Citizens Bank International, said Prime Minister Sushila Karki managed a difficult political period with confidence. He said she formed a Cabinet, built trust among political leaders, and guided the country through several challenges. Pandey praised her for bringing political parties to agreement and holding elections across the country on the same day. In his view, the process protected the nation from unwanted political incidents and opened a new political chapter.
Pandey also said the prime minister showed a humane approach after the Gen Z protests. Families of those who lost their lives received recognition and compensation, and the injured received treatment on time. He said these steps helped ease the wounds created by the movement and gave victims a sense that the state stood with them. Holding the election in such difficult conditions, he added, stands as a major achievement of the government.
He recalled that Prime Minister Karki also met business owners who suffered losses during the protests and offered reassurance. To support economic activity, the government introduced measures such as customs exemptions and loan restructuring for rebuilding damaged property. Pandey said the government also handled the floods and landslides during Dashain effectively and showed determination in governance. These actions, he said, have given people a sense of hope.
Now attention turns to the expectations of the private sector from the new government.
Chandra Dhakal, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said he was pleased that the election finished peacefully. He said the next government must focus on private sector growth and economic progress.
Dhakal said holding the election nationwide in one day without major incidents sends a positive signal. Nepal’s economy slowed after the COVID 19 pandemic and the morale of the private sector weakened. He said the successful vote can help rebuild investor confidence.
He added that the new government should work closely with the private sector. Priority areas, he said, include job creation, revenue growth, and infrastructure development. Policies should promote domestic investment and foreign direct investment while creating employment opportunities inside the country.
Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal, president of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, also thanked the government for conducting the election peacefully. He said the next government must focus on good governance, corruption control, and job creation.
According to Agrawal, reviving Nepal’s slow economy remains the main task. Economic activity must expand to create jobs, and political stability forms the first condition for economic progress. Without stability, he said, the country cannot move toward prosperity.
He added that past unrest weakened business confidence. The government must give the private sector a sense of security. Domestic investment alone cannot fully use Nepal’s natural resources, he said, so the country must attract foreign investment by creating a friendly policy environment and revising necessary laws.
Agrawal also warned that rising tensions between Israel and Iran could affect global supply chains and indirectly affect Nepal. Because the Nepali rupee remains pegged to the Indian currency, economic shocks in India can influence Nepal’s economy.
Still, he said the outlook for foreign employment and remittance remains stable. Reconstruction work in conflict areas may even increase demand for Nepali workers. Tourism and foreign investment, though, could suffer if global tensions continue.
Birendra Raj Pandey, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said the next government must remain stable and focus on the economy. He said the private sector feels encouraged by the successful election and now expects leadership that puts economic growth at the center.
Political stability, he said, remains necessary for sustainable development. In the past, unstable governments created problems for businesses. The new government should move ahead with a clear economic direction.
Pandey noted that political parties included several economic agendas proposed by the Confederation in their election manifestos. Implementation now matters most. He said parties should focus on carrying out economic policies instead of remaining trapped in political disputes.
He also urged the government to protect domestic industries and production sectors while increasing manufacturing capacity, employment, and exports. If policy stability improves and the government works closely with the private sector, he said, the country’s economy can regain momentum.
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