RSP victory sparks a new political polarisation in Nepal: ‘Jholey’ versus RSP supporters

If you support any party other than the RSP, you are perceived as a ‘jholey’.

Nepali society has long been divided across multiple lines. Whether through caste divisions (Brahmins/Chhetris versus Dalits, for example), class disparities (rich versus poor) or regionalism ( Pahadi versus Madheshi ), social fractures have always played a role in the national political landscape, not least in the decade-long civil war started by the Maoists. However, Nepal has never been divided along party lines as it is today. Since the victory of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the recent general elections, a new kind of political polarisation seems to have emerged in Nepal: Us (RSP supporters) versus them ( jholeys ), offering very little space for nuance or deliberation.