Nepal's Upcoming Election: Moving Beyond Hope to Demand Concrete Implementation from Political Manifestos

As we walk on busy streets or scroll through social media for five minutes, the changing environment of the country is clearly felt. As the upcoming Federal Election on Falgun 21 approaches, this feels less like a traditional speech and more like a cultural wave. Viral clips and digital content are replacing traditional rallies and speeches.

The current discussion is not just limited to the personalities and sweet speeches of leaders. A clear sign of generational transition is visible here; the generation that has waited a long time is now demanding a place in the decision-making process, raising its own voice. It feels like the youth have come to the field not just to cast votes, but to lead the debate. However, the reality is a bit more serious.  

In Nepal, 'Hope' has almost become the national currency. The reason is clear: our political manifestos often prove to be like mobile recharge cards. Used to distribute dreams during elections, but thrown into the dustbin once election results are out. So the question arises: Are we choosing leaders based on hope? Because we have seen manifestos repeatedly fail? The manifestos for '082' (Bikram Sambat year) are far removed from our reality and implementation.  

• Elections Earned Through Struggle

This election was not given as a gift. It is a political moment earned through struggle. The street protests of Bhadra 23/24 were not just anger; they were a public declaration of deep dissatisfaction with the rulers and the structure.  

This election is a celebration for new voters and an opportunity for experienced voters. We are not looking for miracles or a big revolution here. We want simple but certain improvements. We don't want roads that wash away in the first monsoon. We don't want a health system where the entire family drowns in debt when someone falls ill. And we don't want a passport to be mandatory for employment.  

These simple yet significant expectations are the basis for good governance and stable development. The question is not whether the promise is in the manifesto, but whether our system has the desire and capacity to implement those promises.  

• The Value of Promises and Labor Migration

The '082' election arrives carrying the wounds of past failures. Remembering the '079' election, the promises made by major parties were extremely attractive. UML promised to create five lakh jobs annually. Nepali Congress stated two and a half lakh, and CPN (Maoist Centre) stated two lakh jobs. But this did not happen on the ground of reality.  

In '079' itself, some parties promised to raise the minimum wage to 25 thousand. Similarly, they set a target of double-digit economic growth. Whereas, from '049' to '081', Nepal's average real economic growth has been only about 4.35 percent.  

While party leaders were giving election speeches from villages to cities, the government was busy issuing labor permits at the same time. In the first ten months of '079', more than 6.5 lakh youths left the country after obtaining labor permits. This number reached eight lakh in '081/82'. In the first three months of the current fiscal year, an additional two lakh youths were forced to go abroad.  

This means about 75 percent of the youth do not see a future within the country. About 25 percent of our GDP depends on remittances. Money coming from abroad is again spent on imports. Consumers want to buy cheap and luxury goods, but they are forced to go abroad to earn money.  

Without competitive production and industrial policy, the 'Made in Nepal' campaign is forced to remain just a slogan. In practice, we are exporting our own manpower and importing consumer goods.  

• Can Manifestos Transform the Country?

As the election fervor heats up in Nepal, political parties are continuing to publish their manifestos. But the question arises: Can these manifestos truly transform the nation? This time, there are certainly some interesting changes in the language used by the parties and the agendas put forward.  

CPN (UML) this time has placed special emphasis on 'production-oriented economy' and 'implementation-oriented plans'. It has also included digital transformation and environmentally friendly governance in its priorities.  

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has presented a vision focused on five main pillars: infrastructure, private sector-friendly laws, good governance, and education-health reform. It aims to make Nepal a middle-income country within 10 years.  

JSP Nepal has made constitutional reform its top priority through its 27-point manifesto, while other smaller parties have mainly raised agendas concerning corruption control and industrialization.  

However, while these manifestos clearly state 'what to do', the 'how to do it' remains vague. The 16th plan of the government targets an economic growth of 7.3 percent by '086', which includes clear targets for providing health access to 90 percent of households within 30 minutes and increasing production and employment. There is a high risk that the party manifestos will become ritualistic promises that do not align with these national plans.  

• Graduation: Opportunity or Risk?

Nepal is set to graduate from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Mangsir '083 (November 2026). While this is a matter of pride, the special trade facilities and concessions we have been receiving will be lost with it. According to the World Bank, Nepal needs to create about 6.5 million jobs to utilize its working-age population effectively.  

If our export and industrial strategy is not strong, this graduation could become a cause of economic pressure rather than an achievement.  

Another major problem lies at the local level. There is neither sufficient manpower nor adequate resources and decision-making autonomy there. It is easy to give speeches about making Nepal Switzerland, but the harsh reality that Switzerland's GDP is 20 times larger than ours is being ignored by the political leadership.  

Therefore, manifestos must now be studied not just as wish lists, but as clear roadmaps. A conscious citizen must look for the following things in the manifesto.  

• Conclusion 

Nepalis have been voting based on hope for a long time because their options were limited. But hope without a plan is just a beautiful dream. Now is the time to use that hope as fuel and the manifesto as the steering wheel to move forward.  

The real question of the '082' election is not just whether Nepal will become prosperous, but whether we have the institutional capacity, economic foundation, and political will to translate those promises into practice.  

The vote this time should not go to those who distribute empty dreams and promise to turn the country into Singapore or Switzerland, but to those who seek concrete foundations on how to make our country beautiful and prosperous according to its own context.  

Whether this election will materialize the people's hopes or remain limited to another assurance remains to be seen.