New PM in office, all quiet in Kathmandu

This should put to rest the fears that Nepal may abandon parliamentary democracy and return to monarchy

Nepal looks firmly on the track to normalcy after a week of violence and uncertainty, with the appointment of Sushila Karki, 73, as the interim PM on Saturday. Karki, a former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal, is the choice of the Gen Z protestors who led the street action that forced PM KP Sharma Oli and his cabinet to resign against the backdrop of their attempts to stifle youth dissent against corruption in public office. Two of the main demands of the Gen Z protesters — Oli’s resignation and the sacking of the legislature — were met by the country’s President before Karki was sworn in: The new PM had reportedly insisted on the dismissal of the House as a precondition to accept office. And, unlike in Bangladesh, where the caretaker administrator has hemmed and hawed about conducting polls even a year after street protests ended the Sheikh Hasina regime, the new leadership has already announced that fresh polls will be held in March next year. This should put to rest the fears that Nepal may abandon parliamentary democracy and return to monarchy, a demand gaining ground even outside the small section of royalists.

The next few months will be crucial for Kathmandu as the promised fair probe into graft gets underway and the political class regroups to address the new situation and engage with Gen Z. (AFP)

However, the next few months will be crucial for Kathmandu as the promised fair probe into graft gets underway and the political class regroups to address the new situation and engage with Gen Z. The Nepalese army, as in Dhaka 2024 and Colombo 2022, has been exemplary in its conduct during the past week, ending violence and facilitating the appointment of a caretaker administration that reflects the mood on the street. Kathmandu would have faced serious economic hardship if the chaos had continued, and any political vacuum could have been exploited by outside forces seeking to buy influence in Nepal. New Delhi wisely kept itself out of the crisis and waited for the churn to settle down. Its wholehearted welcome to the new dispensation confirms Delhi’s resolve not to be involved in Nepal’s internal affairs.