Thanks to Oli’s mismanagement, Nepal is looking at fresh elections in November
On the day Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli failed to prove his majority in the House of Representatives, he had published an appeal in The Guardian, requesting the UK Government and the international community for assistance in Nepal’s fight against COVID-19. The article received significant backlash within his country. The people were unconvinced since Oli has left no stone unturned to turn Nepal into a political mess; beginning with his quest to remain in power, to misusing the office of the President. Despite losing majority in the House, Oli was invited to form a minority Government. Within days, the same Parliament has been dissolved again, and new elections have been scheduled for November. Noteworthily, Nepal is experiencing the worst of COVID-19 amid rising cases, fatalities and looming doubts over the supply of vaccines from international manufacturers. The shadow of corruption in procuring vaccines and medical equipment is dark enough to be seen. So, a plea from Oli is nothing but a mockery of good governance and a forced blindfold on the international community to overlook. Oli has become an authoritarian leader who disrespects the will of the people, political mood and remains unbothered by what the country is facing.
If anyone can be held responsible for paralysing Nepal in every sphere, it’s the present-day “Oli-garchy”. The apex court has nullified Oli’s earlier attempt to dissolve Parliament, and ill-intended overnight ordinances on political parties were withdrawn by the President amidst opposition. He was once again challenged to prove his majority, but he failed. Currently, unashamed, Oli continues to be the caretaker Prime Minister. Voices are emanating from the Army veterans, civil society and the democratic forces to hold Oli responsible for the current crisis. These are the same voices that fought an autocratic monarchy for more than a decade to establish an envisaged democratic order in the Himalayan country. However, in less than 15 years, leaders like Oli have done no good but fueled the ethnic divide, economic slowdown, soured relations with India and institutionalised corruption. When Nepal became the world’s sixth Communist-ruled country in 2008, questions were asked whether Communism and democracy could coexist. With parties like the CPN-UML led by Oli and the Maoists in Nepal, self is prioritised before ideology, nation and people. Therefore, Nepal needs a second wave of democracy to re-establish institutions in the truer sense with education, medical and economy at the priority.
