Messages from Ilam and Bajhang

The tropes used in politics are temporary, and a leader’s charisma cannot inspire voters for long.

The by-elections held in Ilam-2 and Bajhang-1 have indicated the continued dominance of the two major parties, Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML. At the same time, the setbacks suffered by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the Unified Samajwadi Party, along with the independents who fought the election in Ilam-2, demonstrate that they might be in the process of attrition, if not immediate extinction. Further, the UML has shown its undisturbed presence in the country's hills.