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By Our Reporter

Nepal’s politics has always seen new parties rise to challenge the older, established ones. These parties promise something different, a fresh choice for voters who feel stuck with the same leaders. This idea, called alternative politics, has been around since the first Constituent Assembly elections in 2008, when many people protested that the assembly had failed to give them a constitution. Over the years, small groups and young leaders began stepping into the political arena, not always winning, but sending a clear message that people wanted change.

One early group, led by Ujjwal Thapa, became the Bibeksheel Nepali Party. They tried their luck in local, provincial, and parliamentary elections, even putting forward a 21-year-old, Ranju Darshana, for the Kathmandu mayoral race. Although she did not win, the votes she received showed that people were interested in alternatives to old parties. Bibeksheel also managed to win three seats in the Bagmati Provincial Assembly, proving that small parties could still make a mark.

Later, Bibeksheel joined forces with Ravindra Mishra’s Sajha Party, hoping that combining their strength would create a stronger alternative. However, disagreements on issues like monarchy and religion caused leaders to leave, weakening the party. By 2079, Bibeksheel-Sajha was struggling to even save candidates’ deposits, while Mishra himself joined the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, focusing on monarchy. Despite these setbacks, voters still wanted change. This became clear when independent candidates like Balendra Shah in Kathmandu and Harka Sampang and Gopal Hamal in other cities won local elections.

Seeing this opportunity, journalist-turned-politician Ravi Lamichhane formed the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). In the 2079 elections, RSP became the fourth largest party in the House of Representatives with 21 seats and over 1.1 million votes. Lamichhane’s media presence and public appeal helped the party grow quickly, though legal troubles and internal conflicts later created challenges.

To strengthen their position, RSP merged with the weakened Bibeksheel-Sajha Party in early 2075. This merger gave both groups more organization, a clearer direction, and a better chance to compete with older parties. Leaders of the merged party claim it gives them a shot at winning majority support in future elections, but whether RSP alone truly represents alternative politics is still uncertain.

Other parties from post-Jana Andolan (the People’s Movement) II movements are also trying to claim space. Kulman Ghising’s Ujyalo Nepal Party, built around his reputation for ending load-shedding, and Harka Sampang’s Shram Sanskriti Party are examples of new political actors using social media and local engagement to attract voters. Parties like the Progressive Democratic Party, and the restructured New Force Party add even more diversity. In Tarai, Janamat Party under CK Raut shows that voters are willing to shift support if they are unhappy with existing parties.

Nepal’s history, however, shows that new parties face big challenges. Factional fights, personality-focused leadership, and inability to maintain momentum have often prevented them from lasting. For alternative politics to truly succeed, parties need clear ideas, fair decision-making, accountability, and ethical leadership—not just new faces.

RSP and other post-Jana Andolan parties have the chance to bring change, but their future depends on learning from past mistakes, staying united, and delivering on promises. Only then can they reshape Nepal’s political system and prove that alternative politics is more than just a dream.