The grammar of Nepali politics

The freshmen from the Discord generation will learn the grammar of Nepali politics the hard way.

On the night of November 10, CPN-UML leader Saroj Yadav managed to get himself elected as Chief Minister of Madhesh Province inside a hotel room, bypassing the provincial assembly. Yadav’s appointment has led to violent protests across the province, with more than two-thirds of the assembly members petitioning against his appointment. The incident once again exposes Nepal’s political culture, where individual leaders are driven more by their obsession with positions of power rather than an intent to serve for public good. Mediocre but ambitious individuals are abundant, within the parties and beyond, who are ready to cut any deal to propel themselves to power. The September youth protests were a mobilisation, precisely against decades of such mediocre leadership that has plagued every institution of power in this country.