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By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel.

Just a couple of days ago, a college friend of mine based in the US called me over WhatsApp after a hiatus. During almost an hour of telephonic conversation, we, as usual, discussed our household and family-related issues. However, this time, the discussion focused more on the changed political landscape following the result of the parliamentary election held on March 5, 2026. He raised a very pertinent question: Will the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) deliver on its promise made in the run-up to the election? His concerns were very genuine, as Nepalese have been deceived by the parties, mainly the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Maoist Center, for decades. In response, I told him that this is a key question that every Nepali is asking at present. We ended our conversation with the hope that the RSP, unlike the old and traditional parties, will live up to the people’s expectations.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) was formally registered with the Election Commission on July 1, 2022. The journalist-turned-politician Rabi Lamichhane is the founder of the party. The journalist-turned-politician – Rabi Lamichhane – is the founder of the party. With its people-centred approach, the party gained popularity within a short time of its formation. Logically speaking, the party that started as an alternative force challenging the status quo has now stunned the old and traditional parties with its outstanding performance in the concluded parliamentary election.

That the RSP has become a powerful political force in the Nepalese political landscape got reflected in the recent House of Representatives election held on March 5, 2026. It not only uprooted the long-standing old and traditional forces but also defeated them with huge margins. Its outstanding performance demonstrated that people were fed up with old and traditional parties that looted the country in the name of politics for ages.

Post-election result, the RSP mania has rocked the nation. The media – both print and electronic – have heaped showers on RSP and its leader, primarily Balendra Shah – a senior leader and party founder – Rabi Lamichhane. The people, mainly youth, who felt alienated and excluded during the tenure of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist are now chanting the slogan, saying the country is in safe hands under RSP. The international communities have congratulated the party, wishing them a successful tenure. The Indian PM – Narendera Modi – congratulated the party and projected PM Balendra Shah, expressing willingness to work for the betterment of Nepal and its people. Now, given the euphoria among the people, one can say that RSP is here to stay for several years.

But there is an old adage that goes, “Opportunities bring along the challenges as well.” This time-tested axiom seems very relevant to the RSP. At present, the expectations of the people are very high. They believe that the end of old parties and the rise of the RSP will lay the foundation of a new and prosperous Nepal. Their hopes and aspirations cannot be overlooked altogether by RSP.

The RSP, according to the media, rose to prominence riding on the plank of anti-corruption and good governance. During the election campaign, it committed that good governance, effective service delivery and the end of corruption will be their major agenda. This was further enforced by the party chair in the just-concluded two-day orientation programme held at a Lalitpur-based hotel. In the event, the party chair said that people have given them the mandate to serve them, ensure good governance and end malpractices. His remarks, which are appreciated by everyone including his political opponents, have further raised and fuelled the expectation of the people.

It is worth mentioning here that after decades of democratic movement, we were able to oust the monarchy. We believe that the end of monarchy will mark the dawn of a new era of prosperity, rapid economic growth and sustainable development. We also expected that our elected representatives would end the misrule, past injustices and inequalities.

Contrary to our expectation, the elected representatives were no different than the former kings. In fact, they were more ruthless than all the previous regimes combined. The elected representatives think of themselves in terms of a former king, ignoring the day-to-day struggle of the people across the country. Their self-centered ego, attitude, unaccountability, lack of transparency and ruthless behaviour forced people to seek an alternative force that truly commits to working for the welfare of the people. In plain words, the failure of the old and traditional parties always bickering over- power-sharing laid the foundation for the rise of the RSP in the country.

The outstanding triumph of the RSP in the just-concluded parliamentary election has entrusted it with several tasks and responsibilities. To start with, it must cleanse the mess created by its predecessors in the past. At present, the country faces innumerable challenges. The rampant corruption and high-voltage scam, abuse of authority, culture of impunity, misrule and poor governance are the major problems on display. Similarly, mass exodus of competent and skilled youth, nepotism, favouritism, poverty and unemployment are the other challenges staring us in the face. The economy remains afloat on the remittance sent by the migrant workers who are engaged in demeaning, dirty and dangerous jobs overseas. The soon-to-be-formed government needs to explore and diversify the source of internal revenue to drive rapid economic growth.

We have already witnessed the mistakes, failure and setbacks of old and traditional forces. After the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML failed miserably, we gave a mandate to the Maoists with a hope they would work for the welfare of the people. When they also looted the country, we needed another force to steer the country, and RSP emerged as a force to turn the people’s expectations into a reality. If RSP also fails, we can no longer rely on any political forces thereafter. It is now or never.