New Political Party Faces Internal Challenges from Opportunists

Many district presidents elected from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) district conventions have been found to be individuals previously active in parties like Congress, UML, Maoist, etc. This is not inherently unusual. In a democracy, everyone has the right to change parties. 

But the question is, have all the individuals entering the new political force organized themselves in the RSP based on ideology and principles, or are they using the RSP as a means to seek new opportunities while outside of power?

When many faces associated with corruption allegations, factionalism, and opportunism while in power, enter a new party after being out of power, it is natural to question whether their objective is politics of change or the pursuit of new opportunities. The state of not being able to engage in corruption and the commitment against corruption are not the same thing. It is easy to appear clean when not in power, but the real test begins when responsibility and authority are obtained.

For this reason, the biggest threat to any new political party may not be external opponents, but the opportunists entering from within. History has shown that many parties have been weakened by self-serving groups that entered internally, rather than by external attacks. If individuals with old tendencies and old thinking begin to capture the leadership of a new party, the new party can also fall victim to the old political culture.

The public accepted the RSP as an alternative to the old parties, not as a refuge for disgruntled leaders of the old parties. Therefore, the need to prioritize ideology, principles, and performance within the party has become even greater. Evaluation should be based not just on which party they came from, but on what contribution they have made to developing a new political culture.

Specifically, it is natural to question whether the expected results in terms of economic reform and corruption control are being seen. How far have the commitments made in the past regarding corruption control, economic transparency, and structural reforms progressed in implementation? 

Will the debate on corruption control be limited only to investigation and action, or will it move towards creating a system where corruption is impossible? Questions are arising as to why there is insufficient debate and implementation regarding policies to gradually make the cash-based economy digital and transparent, bring large transactions into the banking system, and reduce opportunities for corruption.

If the old culture and opportunism begin to take root within the party in the name of change, it will not take long for the public's hope to turn into disappointment. Therefore, the issue that Balendra Shah, along with the party leadership, needs to be most cautious about is not external critics, but the opportunistic tendencies entering from within. The success of a new political force will be measured not by the number of old faces, but by new values, new culture, and results.

If the journey of change is to be preserved, the party must prioritize principles over individuals, performance over positions, and structural reforms over popular slogans. Otherwise, it will be difficult to escape the accusation of putting old wine in a new bottle.