Rudra Khadka

November 22: The results of the November 20 elections to the members of the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies have started to arrive.

The preliminary results seem to be as expected. The ruling Nepali Congress and the main opposition CPN-UML are at the forefront. These parties are likely to be the first and second largest parties in the new parliament. Despite this, voters from all over the country have given a clear message that they are looking for a change.

The popularity of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) led by former journalist Ravi Lamichhane, despite being established only a few months before the election, getting respectable votes is a clear indication that the voters are in favour of change.

While there are complaints that the political parties that have been holding the reins of power since 1990 have not been able to work according to the people's aspirations and only a limited number of people are currently in power, the RSP has expressed its commitment that one person will not hold any position for more than two terms. The party has also made it clear that the relatives of the party leaders will not be appointed to positions of benefit. The RSP has advocated for good governance and pledged to fight against corruption. This has attracted the voters to the new party.

It seems that the new parties also have benefited from a six per cent decline in votes compared to the 2017 general elections. The general trand of major political parties presenting attractive plans in their manifesto but their failure to implement such plans in practice also helped the RSP this time. Many disappointed voters of the old political parties did not vote this time. As a result, participation in voting decreased.

In Nepal, there has been a change in political consciousness among the common people. If the people had not wanted change, the 104-year-long Rana regime would not have ended. Even the panchayat rulers who had been in power for 30 years would not have been forced to kneel had the public not wanted change.

Change is inevitable not only in Nepal but also all over the world. The difference is - in countries where democracy is practised well, leadership changes rather than political parties/systems. Political analysts say that people may look for alternatives to big political parties because they have hardly changed their leadership.

The election results will likely come as a warning sign to the big political parties and their leaders that they need to improve. If the parties change the way they work, they might establish themselves for the next few years. If the parties and their leaders don't take this as a warning, it is clear that their future in politics is doomed.