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By Rabi Raj Thapa

January 20 was the day of nomination for the forthcoming election on March 5, 2026. Those who took full advantage of the Gen-Z movement look euphoric to nominate their names as candidates. New parties’ candidates have fully optimized their political mileage in the name of change and a New Nepal. As a retired security officer, I feel guilty about the killing of a 12-year-old child and many others who wanted to see good governance, corruption control, etc.

But all those dreams and aspirations died down along with the death of our 76 sons and daughters. Today, the Mela-Jatra called the National Election has begun again with great fanfare and gusto. Where are those 3,000-plus permanently and partially injured participants of the Gen-Z movement during today’s party nominations and electoral candidate nominations?

There are no words to explain how the Sushila government was formed and what was behind all those schemes. Before the carnage of September 9, tender bidding to pick the new Gen-Z-recommended prime minister was being schemed, evaluated, and reviewed with fanfare and victory parades. The names of Balen Shah, Kulman Ghishing, Sudan Gurung, and Sushila Karki were flying amid the smoke and fire of the Supreme Court and the inflamed Singha Durbar.

Then party amalgamation and unification among Balen, Ghishing, and Rabi Lamichhane became even more dramatic and interesting. It may be a default of design or simply confidence that the new era initiated by Kulman Ghishing’s Ujyalo Party happened to fall on the birthday of Jesus Christ. It may also be the genius of Engineer Ghishing. Now he can save a lot of money by celebrating his party anniversary along with Christmas.

The worst and most pathetic scene is that four prominent ministers deserted the prime minister, ditching the expectations of Gen-Z, the people, and the government at the time of need.

It is still too early to predict whether available security manpower and logistics will be able to cater to this unseasoned election, where they need to secure accessibility and food security before securing voters, their votes, and ballot boxes.

Today is the day of reckoning for all our past follies and mistakes. It is interesting to see the once Supreme Commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of the CPN (M), an active member of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM) and the Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organizations of South Asia, reduced to an almost non-existent condition. It is also interesting to see the always humorous, always sadistically satirical Kim Il-sung of Nepal—UML’s KP Ba—and the insatiable, power-hungry godson Deu-Ba, all reduced to square one in Nepali politics.

Voters don’t know the shape and size of 130 political parties. The parley between KP Oli and Balen has already started in Jhapa from the first day, January 20. Some of the old stallions have already abandoned the racecourse voluntarily.

Today, three-decade-old advocates of republicanism like Deuba, Oli, and Prachanda look sick and tired of the same device they created. They have fallen victim to the same system they created. Now they are being challenged by more novice populism—less experienced, full of sentiment, and less tolerant.

As the saying goes, “The revolution devours its own children.” Nepali republicans are standing on their last leg. Now republican pundits are in search of alibis and excuses to save their skins. Serious questions are arising today: Is it state failure or the failure of the system as a whole? Is it a failure of federalism or of Nepal’s political system as a whole? Is it a failure of the governance system or the utter failure of its leadership?

The best part is that the Nepali people don’t have to wait decades now. It will all be clear by March this year.