Can Maoists win back the trust of the people in urban Nepal?

During the armed conflict, the then CPN-Maoist used to say that over 80 per cent of Nepal’s rural area was under its control although their presence was negligible in urban Nepal. But, a few years later, the Maoists agreed to a peace treaty. They dropped their bullets and picked up ballot papers.

Since then, they have taken part in four elections. Apart from the 2008 elections, in which the Maoists did well, their performance in urban Nepal has been dire. And, this is a major problem for the party that wants to create a good image in Nepal’s major cities.