By Narayan Prasad Mishra
Political parties are the pillars of a functioning democracy. They are expected to represent the people's voice, uphold the rule of law, and steer the nation toward progress. In healthy democracies, parties may differ in ideology but remain united in their commitment to national development. If political parties truly exist for the development of the country and the welfare of the people, they should stand together for this purpose—whether in government or opposition. Likewise, they should unite in condemning wrongdoing, mismanagement, irregularities, and corruption, regardless of who is involved—whether their own leaders or those from rival parties.
Unfortunately, in our country, Nepal, political parties have increasingly become instruments of personal and party gain rather than agents of public service. Party leaders and their followers raise their voices against corruption only when their opponents are involved. But when their own leaders are implicated, they turn a blind eye and remain silent. Worse still, we have seen cases where parties ignore even their rivals’ wrongdoings—if it allows them to share in the corruption. This has become the accepted political culture of our democracy and republic.
In the name of the "republic system", our political parties have formed alliances, reshuffled governments, and chanted slogans of reform and revolution. But beneath the surface, these alliances are rarely about solving the country’s pressing problems. They are about political survival—securing power, dividing positions, and shielding one another from accountability. Instead of working together to build a stronger, more prosperous nation, our political class appears united only when it comes to preserving the status quo. They obstruct investigations, politicize institutions, and protect those implicated in corruption. By monopolizing power in the name of people’s supremacy, they have turned all positions of prestige, authority, and benefit within the government into commodities to be distributed and shared among themselves. This has continued even after the last election:
1. The Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) government, in alliance with the Nepali Congress and others;
2. The Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) government, in alliance with the Nepal Communist Party (UML) and others;
3. The Nepal Communist Party (UML) government, in alliance with the Nepali Congress and others.
We also witness how they quickly become one when it comes to withdrawing serious allegations made against each other. A large number of independent citizens are left helpless and politically orphaned, with their civil rights snatched away. Meanwhile, development is delayed, democracy is diluted, and corruption deepens. Mismanagement is rampant.
Consider the Pokhara International Airport, which has become the talk of the country for the last several years. Touted as a milestone in Nepal’s development, the airport—built with a hefty loan from China—was supposed to be a gateway to global connectivity. Instead, it has become a symbol of poor planning, questionable spending, and underutilization. Allegations of inflated costs and political kickbacks have overshadowed the project’s promise. More importantly, a recently published report in various news media reveals that Rs. 10 to 15 billion has been visibly misused—laying bare the scale of corruption.
And Pokhara Airport is just one example. The Lalita Niwas land grab case involved high-profile figures manipulating land records to enrich themselves at the state’s expense. The Wide-Body Aircraft Procurement scandal exposed massive irregularities in aircraft purchases for Nepal Airlines. The Fake Bhutanese Refugee scam revealed how senior political actors exploited desperate citizens—facilitating their illegal migration abroad using false identities. These are just a few of the countless scandals being discussed in every corner of the country. All these scandals point to a disturbing truth: no matter which party is in power, corruption thrives. Investigations are launched only to be quietly buried. Commissions are formed but rarely take action. Political will is promised but never delivered. Instead of fixing the system, parties have mastered manipulating it.
Meanwhile, the real challenges deepen. Youth unemployment is pushing the country’s future abroad. Education and healthcare remain underfunded. Infrastructure is left unfinished or poorly maintained. People with various names, groups, and organizations, such as the cooperative victims, justice for Kulman Ghising, the Electricity Hero, justice for Ravi Lamichhane, the President of Rashtriya Swatantra Party, are in the streets protesting for good governance, corruption control, human rights, justice, and the eradication of wrongdoings. These demands are not born of nostalgia but of growing injustice and frustration. However, neither the government nor the three prime parties show any concern as they show their unity for power sharing and the protection of the republic system. So now it seems that the love and affection for the word "republic" that had once been instilled in people's minds have almost disappeared due to their own experiences—caused by the self-centered actions and performance of those who champion the Republic.
Even the President, the ceremonial head of the country, stays silent, failing to speak out against these grave wrongdoings. Instead, he appears to function as a party stooge when he needs to function as an unbiased head of the country for the welfare of the country and its people. As a result, no wonder citizens have lost faith—not just in individual politicians but in the entire political establishment. Today, we see protests in the streets led by pro-monarchy parties, organizations, groups, and factions. They demand a return to constitutional monarchy for an impartial head of state, a decentralized administrative structure with empowered local governments instead of the current costly federal model filled with chief ministers and ministers and many other lower and high-level government positions, nearly about 40 thousand, and a Hindu state rooted in Nepal’s cultural traditions rather than the current secular system which is facilitating the conversion of our religious faiths of Hindus, Buddhists, etc to other religious faiths by the power of money.
Many believe such a system may serve the country better, as the present model has failed to deliver. Now, people think that we can have a system of any name if it benefits the people - monarchical or republic, and gives them justice. People think the name is not the matter but the fruit that matters the most. In this context, I’m reminded of a Chinese proverb once quoted by Deng Xiaoping—the architect and creator of modern China and its open-door policy and the free market: “It doesn’t matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches the mouse.” In the same spirit, a constitutional monarchy could be a better option if it serves the people’s needs. The current "Republican cat” is not catching the mouse—it is devouring the people instead. A republic that was meant to serve the citizens is now harming them. We must honestly admit that the system, as it exists today, is killing its master—the people—and must be fundamentally re-evaluated.
Nepal needs not just new policies but a new political culture—one where leaders rise above party lines to work for the common good. Unity should not be about clinging to power but about delivering justice, transparency, and real development. Everyone knows the country is in decline, and the majority of people are suffering due to corruption and misgovernance. People want political parties to unite to solve these problems. But their calls go unheard. Even at this critical moment, news reports suggest that the top three leaders of the major parties are once again uniting—not to serve the people but to defend the failing Republican system and silence rising voices.
I sincerely believe the people would never have taken to the streets if these leaders had shown unity in the interest of the nation and public welfare. It is an unfortunate and telling situation. Instead, parties only unite when there is a perceived threat to their system—particularly the so-called “Republic.” They behave as if the people exist to protect their system, whether the system is harmful or beneficial, not the other way around. However, a republic that fails to serve the people loses its moral and democratic legitimacy.
Our country has immense potential. But until political parties unite with a genuine sense of national purpose—and not merely to protect their own power—the nation will remain trapped in a cycle of missed opportunities, mistrust, and mediocrity. Our people certainly deserve better lives and living conditions. They deserve political parties that are united not just in name but in mission. And that mission must be nothing less than building a fair, functional, and forward-looking nation.
However, it seems almost impossible to have an honest and responsible government in Nepal until the people themselves learn to boycott dishonest parties at the ballot box and vote for those who are genuinely committed to integrity and reform.
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