The Historic Second Constituent assembly elections in Nepal has finally come to an end with the oldest party Nepali Congress gaining maximum number of seats. Not far behind is another established party: CPN (UML). And the UCPN(Maoists), who were the largest party in the previous Constituent Assembly, have been pushed to being behind 'traditional two'. Similarly, Madhesh-based parties also lost their stronghold and the newly formed Sanghiya Samajwaadi shall not have a sizable presence in the new Assembly. With the 'return' of the Hindu Nationalism, the previously discarded Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepal also found itself fourth on the individual party list.
With all these results, the so called pundits and analysts of Nepalese politics and society are fast concluding that these results are a NO to the ethnic federalism and the secular state. Too one-sided, I would tell. A closer look into the electoral results however suggests the opposite.
The voters of this country, like voters everywhere, are normal humans; with basic human needs: we all need peace and prosperity. Everybody wants to live in a society that is calm, that is not filled with too many unwelcome surprises and that is closer to what they believe is sane.
The electoral rise of Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) is more a fall of UCPN (Maoists) [and their brothers at war the CPN-Maoists] and the Madhesh based parties. The victorious sides won only because their competitors were too quixotic. They won only because their competitors were too shamelessly undignified.
Some of the people voted the Maoists last time around because of their Revolutionary image, the revolutionary ideals they carried and the sacrifices they had endured. And then over the span of six years the people saw how they compromised on the very basics of the Revolution. Some of the people voted the Maoists last time around because they had sown seeds of a new hope to the people. To the people who had tested and tried the old parties, the idea of Sabailai heryau patak, patak; NeKaPa (Maowadi) laai heraau ek patak was an easy shift on a pragmatic basis. And then over the span of six years people saw how the Maoists resorted to same old ills of corruption, nepotism, baseless political slandering and all even after they became the largest party. Some of the people voted the Maoists last time around for they were promised that economic opportunities would abound. Some of the people had voted them for they guaranteed a dignified social life for the suppressed and the disadvantaged ethnicities. And over the six years their youths had no opportunities to live a dignified life in their own homeland, they had to flee to the labour camps of the Middle East and Malaysia for livelihood. Some of the people had voted them for they guaranteed a dignified social life for the suppressed and the disadvantaged ethnicities. And then over the span of six years they saw how their society was being divided by unrealistic and grandiose promises, they saw how many of their kinsmen had been disillusioned by unnecessary chauvinism. Some of them had voted out of fear. None of them were going to vote the Maoists again.
It was not just the general public. When the Maoist combatants who were placed in the cantonments received their remunerations, a sizable chunk of it was cut off by the local commanders and a big portion of that money was never accounted for in the party's accounts. Thus there was a sense of betrayal amongst those faithful Maoist combatants who were slowly realizing that the party insiders of higher positions were squandering from their meager incomes. The plight of these combatants was not unseen to their neighbours which further increased the rising dissatisfaction regarding the Maoists' true intentions.
The case of Madhesh-based parties is similar but some reasons need further stressing. They also made the same mistakes like the Maoists of over-promising and under-delivering. But the major factor that led to ultimate demise of their charisma was the over- indulgence of their individual leaders towards gaining lucrative ministerial posts in the cabinet. After some time, the party leaders looked like they had no agenda other than reaching a ministerial post: a sad end to the ambitions of the vast majority of Madheshis who wished a respectable position in the state.
Thus it is to be understood that the people voted against experimentation of their deep rooted cultural and social norms, they voted against a politics of division and they voted against lust for position and power.
However this does not by any means mean that they voted against respect for the identity of the downtrodden classes and oppressed ethnicities. Nepali Congress, CPN(UML), UCPN( Maoist) and obviously the Federalist and the Madhesh based parties all support identity-based federalism and their votes account for more than 90% of total voters and parliamentary seats. Although the Hinduvite parties have increased the number of votes, its mandate is still negligible compared to votes to the parties advocating a secular state. The parties who this this time around have officially declared that they would guarantee those specifications of basic rights and therefore people have seen them as an alternative to the more erratic Maoists and the Madheshis and the other extremes of Hinduvite/Royal Parties.
Restructuring of the state taking care of the ethnic/cultural identities and the historically subjugated classes and geographies with development balanced economic progress and creation of inclusive national pride is the prime desire of the people of this country.
This election is thus a reminder to any leader and party member that while what you say might be good and loved by the masses, how you behave and what you do matter even more to a commoner. If you are too casual and careless, while you may win in debates and documents, you will ultimately loose with your demeanour.
