Nepalese Struggle with Democracy

  • In 1951, after the ousting of the Rana rule, the monarchy continued to dominate Nepalese politics. Nepali Congress party won and the NC struggle to control Nepal.
  • In 1959, King declared NC as corrupt, removed it from power and subsequently installed a party-less Panchayat system.
  • In 1994, the Unified Marxist Leninist Party (UML) tried to generate an anti-India feeling in Nepal. The UML began to assert that the NC is in reality controlled by Congress party of India. This led to a perception amongst the Nepali people about India’s control and interference over Nepal and its internal affairs through the NC.
  • The anti-India plan worked in favour of UML and they succeeded in capturing power for a short period of 9 months in Nepal.
  • The UML was removed and the NC assumed power again in 1994. The subsequent period not only saw civil unrest.
  • The civil unrest, over a period of time, evolved into civil uprising and took an ideological turn to Maoism. The Maoist movement in Nepal became fully manifested by 2005.
  • An interim constitution was prepared in 2007.
  • Nepal would establish the new constitution by 2010. However, by 2010, the constitution was not ready but delayed.
  • After tremendous delays, Nepal finally accepted a constitution in September 2015.