Although next general election for parliament – federal, provincial, and local –is two years away, Nepali politicos appear to be initiating various types of consultations for developing appropriate strategies for impressing voters. Political parties big or small, represented or non-represented in the current legislatures have also joined the move in their own institutional way. In the process they have analyzed the lesson from the past election and found that it would be difficult to face voters with old leaders, worn-out slogans, and no impressive achievement while steering the government in different times. As the ongoing monsoon season and festivals thereafter would not allow politicians to mobilize through field events for some four months, they appear focused on messaging via social media, podcasting and other online communication outlets for drawing public attention. Mass media newspapers, TV and FM radio are also being used for the purpose. But their use these days is considered very limited and less attractive as compared to the digital outlets. Leading parties – Nepali Congress, CPN UML and the Maoist Centre – which have to organize their mandatory conventions are witnessing sharp division within their organizations. The top leaders who are heading the parties for years are being pressured to give way to new generation. But the three leaders – PM Oli, former PMs – Deuba and Prachanda–appear reluctant to hand over leadership. A sort of internal conflict appears disturbing the parties. A few talk about it publicly while others do not. All three have to manage the internal division if they wish to do well in the polls two years later. Since they have history and organizational base, they have to tackle the differences democratically and through appropriate political negotiations. If they cannot do so, Nepali politics could witness yet another unstable politics marked by emergence of forces which are either completely new or completely populist or any sort of combination of unsatisfied sections of the three parties. If the leading parties get divided for one reason or the other, the main and truncated one would not be able to impress voters as in the past. So political wisdom demands that the leading parties play a significant role in this time when youths are seeking opportunities in politics. They should play not the role of power hungry politician but the role of a democratic leader with a vision for long term politics for their parties they have led for so long and with which their personality has been attached. In a sense they have to play a really historic role at the moment for the sake of unity of the party. If they go to polls united they have a chance to maintain their political image. If they go to polls divided they would not be able to save their image and face. The three leading political figures of Nepal have one more extra role to play: since they were instrumental in introducing federalism in Nepal and rendering the country the status of republic, they have to prepare a generation that can continue the legacy with equal vigour. For this they have to be broad minded and open to accept youths’ leadership in their organizations.
