Political Parties Must Learn From Election Results or Risk Becoming History, Echoing the Fable of the Monkey and the Bird

It was a rainy day. Birds in the jungle were settled in their nests, keeping themselves and their chicks safe from the downpour. Nearby, a monkey was shivering, drenched by the continuous rain. A bird felt pity for the monkey and said, "Monkey brother, we advised you many times to build a house. If you had a home now, you wouldn't have to suffer like this. Look, even in the rain, we are resting safely and comfortably."

However, the monkey did not like the bird's advice. Angrily, he destroyed the nests built by the birds, leaving the birds and their chicks destitute. This is why it is said—the monkey neither builds its own house nor can it stand to see others' houses built. This is called the 'Monkey Tendency.'

Looking at the results of today's election, this story seems very relevant. Intellectuals, civil society, and political analysts repeatedly offered suggestions for reform to the parties steeped in history. But instead of internalizing that advice, leaders reveled in the arrogance of power, saying, "We have millions of workers, dozens of organizations, and thousands of youth forces."

The result was a growing tendency to protect corruption, mock good governance, recruit cadres in appointments, intimidate the public, and suppress dissenting voices. Consequently, dissatisfaction grew among the new generation, and eventually, that dissatisfaction manifested as a revolt.

In a situation where coalition politics flourished by finding fault with the current constitution, claiming it doesn't grant a single majority, the results of the recently concluded election of 2082 have sent a clear message. The people can grant a majority if they wish. Therefore—the people are the ultimate authority (Janardan).

The job of political parties is to make history, not to recite it. It is wise to learn lessons from history and move forward.

The history of the Nepali Congress in Nepal and the experience of the Congress (I) in India show that politics cannot survive merely on the support of old glory. History can provide pride, but the responsibility of building the future rests on the shoulders of the current leadership.

The slogan of extreme nationalism is not effective only during elections. Patriotism is necessary, but it must be linked with wisdom and responsibility.

Today's new generation (Gen Z) youth understand world geopolitics. Today's world is captured in their mobile phones. They are seeing various societies and systems around the world, comparing them, and raising questions.

Millions of Nepali youth are forced to go abroad for employment due to a lack of opportunities within the country. In such a situation, the tendency to abuse or threaten friendly nations by giving slogans of extreme nationalism ultimately harms the political parties themselves. This is because many of our people, especially the youth, are in foreign lands.

I respect the parties. The parties themselves are not guilty; the guilty party is the tendency of the leadership that runs them. When factions larger than the party, sub-factions larger than the faction, and 'individuals' larger than the sub-factions grow, the party weakens. When individualism prevails over policy and principles, the party's credibility decreases. When leadership considers advice and consultation as weakness, the journey toward downfall begins.

When leadership develops honesty, the courage to admit mistakes, the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and a culture of not lying for momentary gain, the parties themselves will become strong. Morality, transparency, and accountability in leadership are essential for an organization to be strong.

All parties, new and old, must accept the election results. Cooperate with the new government. If you try to help the new leadership succeed, your cooperation will help fulfill the aspirations of the people. Then your party can win back the trust of the people. This will have a positive impact on the next election as well.

One success is not final, and failure is not fatal. In a multi-party system, parties do not end just because they lose one election. As long as the country and the constitution survive, the parties will also survive. However, timely change in leadership according to rules and regulations is necessary. If this does not happen, the party will suffer losses—which is beginning to be seen now.

It appears that the historical parties have problems of internal sabotage and factionalism during elections. Therefore, review your performance and come back reformed for the next election.

Ultimately, in a democracy, the final power rests in the hands of the people. The people do not remain confused for long. When the time comes, they give a clear message through their decision. The current election result is that very message. No force that loses the trust of the people can be permanent.

History can give a party an identity, but only the people determine the future. The future of political parties is determined not by their history, but by their current conduct and vision for the future.

Therefore, the time has come for self-assessment. The time has come not just to repeat history as a source of pride, but to learn from it and reform.

However, if politics remains confined to the same old arrogance and factionalism, it will not take long for those parties that made history to be confined to the pages of history themselves.

Change does not start from others; it starts from within. Only when there is strong, honest, and accountable leadership, when timely changes are embraced, and when thinking changes, will the party become strong, democracy become strong, and the nation move towards prosperity.