Agenda for people

With the general and provincial elections round the corner, political leaders and parties appear more engaged on power sharing issues than on the agenda for the people, society and the national building tasks. Although they will in course of time bring out formality-fulfilling election manifestoes, their priority on matters of importance for the public will not be easily visible. The same was felt five years ago and the same is being perceived today. Because leaders are too much occupied in managing internal matters of political parties to secure their leadership-hold, they do not have time to think about the meaningful agenda for the people. Had there been a system in the party for running internal affairs smoothly and democratically, leaders could have some spare time to think over the need for meaningful agenda for the people. Since most political parties are running their affairs as per the convenience of the leaders on top, the party-functionaries are often ignored. A general survey for finding out the agenda for people in Nepal is quite interesting. People need a number of things to be done in terms of policy, legal regime, social reform and other changes in society and nation building works. People’s representatives understand the same but they find themselves unable to do anything in this regard. As a result of all these people’s agenda get either ignored or not mentioned in public. Although election campaigning is undertaken in the name of public interest, concrete programmes are not usually developed. Some recently elected local authorities have displayed their interest and skill in voicing the agenda of people and in implementing actual programmes to realize them. They should serve as eye-opener for the candidates of parties in the parliamentary and provincial assembly polls. What the local leaders did in the first 100 days after their election in the areas of public interest is something which should be commended. Their programmes were pragmatic and also responsive to the public need. Public agenda should actually be developed and implemented for changing the society and transforming the patterns of work. If the same agenda is accepted by the leaders and political parties, society will witness a big push for change. The ultimate beneficiary of the same will be the Nepalis residing in diverse places under 77 districts of 7 provinces.