Oli government's 90 days: Negative ratings from all parties except UML

Kathmandu, October 16 — It has been three months since the major political parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, formed a coalition government. As the hundred-day mark approaches, Congress MPs have begun to express dissatisfaction with the government's performance, while other opposition parties have also commented that the actions of the two-third majority government have been disappointing.

When urged to review the government's performance over the past hundred days, the chief whips and MPs from represented parties noted that there has been no significant difference in service delivery between the previously unstable government and the current so-called stable government. However, Mahesh Bartaula, the chief whip of the UML, praised the government's actions, claiming it has done the best work to date.

Opposition parties, including Maoists and independent MPs, have criticized the government for prioritizing business interests over public service, claiming it appears to favor traders rather than serve the people.

"Is there a government in the country?" (0/5 Rating)
-Prem Suwal, Nepal Majdur Kisan Party

"This is a government of a principle-less coalition. With each party claiming different principles, which principle will guide the government? The Nepali Congress advocates for a policy of attracting foreign investment, while the UML, claiming to be communist, insists that the country should be built with domestic capital, arguing that foreign investment would lead to colonization."

"Such a government formed on contradictory principles cannot achieve anything. There is not good governance but rather misgovernance. The leader of the party leading the government and the Prime Minister have been seen accepting donations from businessmen for the party office. After receiving donations, there must be an agreement to give them something even bigger in return.

In times of floods and landslides, if the government cannot reach the victims’ doorsteps, what good has this government done?

A government deeply entrenched in corruption has not delivered anything to the people. There may be a government in name, but it does not serve the people. Such a government is not worthy of a rating. The situation raises the question: Is there even a government in the country?"

"Does the government have the capacity to take action against corrupt officials from Giribandhu to Lalita Niwas scams?"(0/5 Rating)
-Prabhu Shah, Aam Janata Party

"The Oli government has been completely unsuccessful in its first 90 days. Beyond protecting corrupt individuals and allowing looting, there has been no other action. Does the Prime Minister have the authority to take action against corrupt officials, from Giribandhu Tea Estate to Lalita Niwas?

Now, there is no alternative to public action and street movements against corruption and the corrupt. Corruption has gone beyond the reach of the state. Those who engage in corruption, looting, and irregularities are the ones running the administration."

"With the main leadership of the government embroiled in corruption, expecting action against corrupt individuals from any government body is akin to imagining that one can obtain milk from a bull.

Nepal's wealth is being looted and taken abroad in broad daylight. The country is being devastated by rampant corruption. The economic situation is critical. Government agencies appear powerless before corrupt individuals and are unable to take action. Corrupt individuals are protected by the state. In such circumstances, we cannot remain silent. We must take action against corrupt individuals wherever they are seen to build a prosperous nation and establish good governance.

Evidence of corruption involving high-profile individuals has been confirmed from Giribandhu Tea Estate to Lalita Niwas. However, instead of taking action against them, the situation allows for their reward.

There is a predominance of corrupt individuals within the government itself. This government, which holds the authority to transfer, promote, and appoint, has also failed to take action against corrupt individuals. The public, exhausted by scandals, corruption, irregularities, and misgovernance, is searching for alternatives.

In times of floods and landslides, the government has been nowhere to be seen; it seems to have disappeared. It has been observed accepting donations from controversial businessmen for the construction of party offices.

This government, which does nothing and merely carries foreign debt, exists as a burden for the people."

"Unable to meet expectations" (3/5 Rating)
-Dr. Birendra Mahato, Janata Samajwadi Party

"The government has failed to work according to the expectations of the people. During the recent floods and landslides that caused extensive damage, it was evident that the government could not effectively manage rescue and relief efforts.

Despite warnings from the Meteorological Department, there was no sign of any preparedness from the government. Even if the government claims it will perform well, it has not been able to work in accordance with the desires and expectations of the people."

"While the government claims to work for good governance, it does not seem to translate into actions that the public can experience. Every government that comes to power promotes grand slogans of good governance, yet there is little visible work for the people.

The public has not been able to access services easily. The most significant issue is that the law does not apply equally—big individuals seem to evade legal consequences, while smaller individuals face them. Even though laws are meant to be equal for all, I have observed that the implementation varies, with some benefiting while others do not. If one uses connections, their work gets done, whereas ordinary citizens may wait months without progress. Consequently, there has been no uniformity in the implementation and practice of the law.

If I had to rate the government’s performance, I would give it three stars.

"Expecting good governance from this government is like expecting milk from a bull" (0/5 Rating)
-Metmani Chaudhary, CPN (US)

"The coalition government formed by the top leadership of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, which are associated with anti-national and anti-people activities, gives no hope to the Nepali people for any positive change. Therefore, the people have no complaints against this government.

Recently, there has been growing dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition. Whether at home or abroad, the use of the term "thief" in reference to the rulers indicates a complete lack of trust in them. There seems to be nowhere to turn for hope or belief."

"Recently, the Prime Minister's irresponsible remarks have only intensified the anger and frustration among the people. Questions have begun to arise not only about the current rulers but also about the entire system. No matter how much they talk about good governance and zero corruption, it all seems to be mere facade. It is becoming evident that this government serves a limited group of brokers and bureaucrats rather than the general public.

The fact that political party leaders are not governing the country but rather it is being run by high-ranking individuals is exemplified by Min Bahadur Gurung’s donation of land for the construction of the CPN-UML party office and the Prime Minister’s directive to reconnect power lines for large industries that have not paid their electricity bills.

This government appears to have been formed to hide its own dark deeds and is engaged in legitimizing its corrupt practices. Thus, expecting good governance from this government is like expecting milk from a bull. Given that the government and the Prime Minister are deeply entrenched in corruption, imagining a corruption-free government is akin to a fairytale. It is hard to conceive of anything other than a zero rating for this government.

Overall, the first 100 days of this government reflect nothing but disappointment and frustration. There is a growing anger and disillusionment towards the rulers, and trust in them has completely eroded."

"Having this government or not makes no difference" (0.1/5 Rating)
-Gyanendra Shahi, Rastriya Prajatantra Party

"This government has not accomplished anything worth reviewing. Asking for an evaluation of the government’s hundred days feels futile. There is no semblance of a government for the people or for the country.

The Prime Minister comments on trivial matters, gives interviews that embarrass the country nationally and internationally, and has completely failed in diplomatic relations. It would have been better if the Prime Minister had remained silent. There is no hope or trust left, so what is there to feel disappointed about?"

"There is currently no state of good governance in the country; the previous government had zero governance as well. It was all talk. The focus was only on how to make videos go viral on YouTube and TikTok. However, that is not even present in the current situation. When people are swept away by floods, the government is unable to conduct rescues. Instead, it seeks donations from corrupt businessmen. How can this government establish good governance?

Speaking of the government's service delivery, during the Dashain festival, people find themselves in dire situations without tickets for home. What kind of service has the government provided when people are unable to return home for Dashain and Tihar? All state mechanisms have failed.

If we were to rate the government, a score of zero point one would be appropriate. What is there to rate? The country can run without ministers. Whatever is currently happening will continue, whether or not there are ministers. The existence of ministers or the formation of a government makes no difference. It resembles a plane flying on autopilot without a pilot. If the ministers had actually come in and done something, we could say some work was accomplished."

"The government has not shown any signs of doing well" (1.5/5 Rating) 
-Santosh Pariyar, Rashtriya Swotantra Party

"The coalition government formed by the Congress and UML was not natural, regardless of the justification given. As a student of democracy, I did not find it appropriate that the two largest parties would come together to form a government. Democracy requires checks and balances. However, while forming the coalition, they used grand rhetoric about constitutional amendments and good governance, but as we approach the hundred-day mark, there are no signs of that. There is no difference in its performance compared to the previous governments, which were labeled weak or unstable."

"We also want the government to perform well. After the coalition of two parties, the public expects to receive services and good governance, but there is no sign of such a situation anywhere. The government seems to have reached a dead end.

Since 2048 BS, the Congress, UML, and after 2063, the Maoists have promised to provide good governance, but it has been hard to believe that. The current government is no different. The grandeur and rhetoric with which it was formed are nowhere to be seen. Moreover, the Prime Minister accepting donations for party office buildings from businessmen is not even worth commenting on. If I were to rate the government’s performance, I would give it only 1.5."

"It is clear that the government is formed in the interest of businessmen" (0/5 Rating)
Hitaraj Pandey, Maoist Centre

"The government has spent a hundred days, yet it has failed to deliver anything substantial to the people. During the floods and landslides on Ashoj 11 and 12, the government was nowhere to be seen. It could not prepare adequately or conduct effective rescues in the Kathmandu Valley either. There has been nothing done on behalf of the people. Our leader Prachanda has stated in Parliament how this government was formed and operates in the interests of businessmen, and they continue to confirm that."

"The fact that significant land has been donated by Min Bahadur Gurung for the construction of the UML party office clearly indicates that the government is more loyal to others than to the public.

In terms of service delivery, the government seems incapable of accomplishing anything meaningful. Looking at its actions, it is evident that while the government exists, it has not managed to do anything on behalf of the people. I cannot assign any rating to its performance.

"The government is not in a position to be satisfied with its performance" (2/5 Rating) 
-Rajendra Kumar KC, Nepali Congress

"The current coalition government's performance does not appear satisfactory. Overall, there is no ground for satisfaction regarding the government's actions. The recent floods and landslides affected victims have not been adequately addressed by the government. It is not possible to say that the government's performance is exceptionally commendable."

"In terms of good governance and service delivery, there is no satisfactory state observed. The coalition with a party that holds opposing principles does not provide a clear path forward. There is no indication that a stable government formed by two parties will work effectively. If we were to rate the government's performance, it might just reach a passing mark.

"It is not realistic to expect the government to accomplish everything within a hundred days or overnight" (5/5 Rating)
-Mahesh Bartaula, CPN (UML)

"Now is not the time to evaluate the government's performance. The hundred-day mark serves as a basis to determine the government's direction. The government is currently focused on establishing good governance in the country, strengthening peace and security, and getting the struggling economy back on track. It aims to revitalize a sluggish economy that is currently unstable.

The most important aspect is the positive message that has emerged since the formation of the government, which includes the Nepali Congress and UML: that now something can happen in the country. There is hope for stability, the development of an environment conducive to progress, and an increase in capital expenditure. Citizens have confidence that the government will work robustly toward establishing good governance. This is the most significant point.

"The government is seen advancing with a focus on good performance, primarily following the core principles of development, prosperity, and social justice. Based on this, it can be said that the government has played its role by placing the country and its people at the center. It has taken significant steps in the peace process, such as passing the TRC bill to establish necessary structures.

Given that the current government is formed by two major parties, it is natural for public expectations to be higher. However, it is not realistic to expect the government to accomplish everything in just a hundred days or overnight. The government is moving forward steadily and has been working to get the economy back on track.

The hundred-day mark is not the time for visible results. The government must effectively coordinate among the three levels of governance to tackle various disasters. Disasters are a shared challenge for all of us. In my view, the government has not faltered in immediate relief and rescue efforts. Public expectations should not be misinterpreted as the belief that all government mechanisms should have been mobilized simultaneously. The people’s vigilance is important, and the government will now accelerate its reconstruction efforts. It has also reopened blocked roads during the Dashain festival. Given the government’s international representation and progress in development work, it deserves a perfect rating of five out of five.