By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel

There is a saying in Sanskrit: “Vinaasha Kaale Bipreet Budhi”. It can be contextually translated into “when destruction is near, wisdom becomes perverse”. This time-tested adage is aptly relevant to our political leaders, who oftentimes lose their critical thinking and commit a blunder. The incident of ousting the executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising, by the incumbent government under the leadership of KP Oli is a case in point.

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli is becoming the darling of the masses. He has been admired by many people for his straightforward approach. Even his political detractors shower blessings on him for demonstrating some sense of maturity in handling issues of national interest. But it seems he lost his wisdom and critical thinking when his government ousted the executive director of NEA Ghising for a reason which is still beyond the understanding of a common man in the country. Result: KP Oli is widely criticised, and some are now even demanding he step down on moral grounds.

The relationship between Ghising and PM Oli has always negatively hogged the media attention. Both seemed unhappy with each other, though they never spit venom against each other publicly. However, their differences started to surface soon after the former assumed the office as the executive director of the Nepal Electricity Authority. It reached the epicentre when Ghising came down heavily on industrialists who had not paid their due electricity bill for using single dedicated feeders and trunk lines. Media reports often say that industrialists who funded the politicians during the election exerted pressure on the prime minister to take serious action against Ghising. This is where the relationship between the executive director and the prime turned worse from bad.

Just to recall, Ghising took over the charge of executive director of NEA while the major cities of the country were reeling under acute power outages. Every day, there used to be a power outage of 18 hours, compelling the people to think that this is the way it is and that there is no respite for it. But Ghising left no stone unturned to end the power outage in the country and ensured that people have access to uninterrupted electricity. Now, the country is free of power outages.

While doing so, he antagonised the businessmen, who were cashing in on the power outage to sell their inverters and power generators to earn quick money, across the country. If media reports are any guide, these businessmen fund the politicians during the election. The report also states that businessmen and politicians work in collusion to create an artificial shortage of electricity, compelling people to rely on inverters and power generators.

With his people-centred approach, Ghising became the darling of the masses overnight. From social media to mainstream news outlets, people were thanking him for his tireless efforts to end the power outage, which was taking a high toll on every front. To say, he hogged the limelight and became the talk of the town overnight.

Many political observers argue that the prime minister was unable to withstand the growing popularity of Ghising, as he was credited for the end of the power outage and not the government. This sowed the seed of the politics of vendetta, and KP Oli was desperately seeking an opportunity to teach him a lesson. Just a few days ago he ousted the executive director, alleging him of bypassing the government while signing a trilateral agreement involving Nepal, Bangladesh and India to trade 40 megawatts of electricity. But it seems Oli has forgotten that a personal vendetta has no role in politics.

The one who closely follows the Nepalese political spectrum says that the Nepalese political system has lost its core values. The politicians are not in a position to withstand anyone who challenges the status quo. They hatch a conspiracy compelling their political opponent to bow down to them. This is what has happened to Ghising. He fell prey to their grand design.

What was very surprising and strange was the remarks of the Ministry of Energy while addressing the parliament the other day. He said that it is not Ghising who ended the power outage, but it is India who helped us in ending the power outage. Either he lacked the knowledge or he was trying to please his external masters.

But what astonishes one is the fact that the politics of vendetta continue and thrive in our society. Right from day one after the restoration of democracy, our political leaders – irrespective of their political ideology – have resorted to politics of vendetta, which has only adversely affected the country. In any vibrant democracy, there are always dissenting voices which make democracy stronger and not weaker. However, it needs to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation not through the politics of vendetta.

We are entering into an era of prosperity and economic growth. We are graduating from least developed countries to developing countries status in November 2026. This is a huge achievement in itself. Everyone – be it political leaders, the private sector, media, civil society and academics – has played a significant role in taking us to this stage. But if we undermine the role of any sector in the overall development of the country and engage in politics of vendetta, our further growth – be it political, social, economic or cultural – will be diminished.

Let’s shun the politics of vendetta and engage in a culture of dialogue and negotiation to resolve any problems from local to federal.