Interviews

‘Even new parties seem less inclined to embrace people’s agenda’

CK Raut, the head of the Janamat Party, on different facets of national politics.

‘The President’s return to active politics is unthinkable’

UML’s deputy general secretary and former foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali on the current state of national politics.

‘We have failed to build pressure on transitional justice’

Mandira Sharma, a senior international legal advisor at the International Commission of Jurists, on the state of transitional justice in Nepal.

‘The Chinese are serious about cross-border railway’

Former Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka on his tenure in the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government and the roles of various foreign actors in Nepal.

‘I contested parliamentary party leadership to keep Congress alive’

Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa on Congress politics and the larger polity.

‘Inflation will remain high in the foreseeable future’

Economist and former executive director of the Nepal Rastra Bank Keshav Acharya on the state of the economy.

‘Court verdict doesn’t shield against Parliament dissolution in all cases’

Former dean and professor at the Kathmandu University School of Law and constitutional lawyer Bipin Adhikari on the composition of the lower house and the formation of the new government.

‘Parties slowly realising the need for periodic leadership change’

Lawmaker-elect from CPN (Maoist Centre), Rekha Sharma, on what it took her to beat an established leader, UML general secretary Shankar Pokhrel.

Old parties failed to understand the new generation

The political template of Congress and Communists are decades old. Closed camps and cadre training don't work so well in the age of social media.

Theatre is a powerful tool for social transformation

Indian actor Shabana Azmi talks about the transformative possibilities of theatre and the role of artists, intellectuals and corporates in sustaining them.

‘Back-to-back elections also led to low voter turnout’

‘People say why give the same old parties another chance when they have failed to perform, repeatedly.’

‘The final election results will be out by December 8’

‘All candidates, no matter what their background, are equal before the commission, and it won’t spare anyone if there are complaints with substantive evidence.’

‘We will be the country’s biggest communist party’

CPN (Maoist Centre) leader and Energy Minister Pampha Bhusal on various aspects of the polls scheduled for November 20.

‘Hope in short supply in Madhesh this election season’

Political analyst Tula Narayan Shah on how observers see the political scenario and how are the Madhesh-based parties expected to fare in the upcoming provincial and national elections.

UML’s poll agenda centred on the creation of a welfare state

As the UML fights the polls against strong alliance, how is the party preparing for the upcoming polls and what is its assessment?

The electoral ‘money game’ started right from candidate-selection day

Binod Ghimire from the Post talked to Pradip Pokharel, chairperson of the Election Observation Committee, Nepal, a prominent organisation in election observation which has also been studying overspending in election campaigns.

Youth is not just a matter of age

Youth leader Manushi Yami Bhattarai on issues related to her electoral agenda, prospects, and issues of marginalised groups.

‘Parties lack willpower to ensure proportional representation of marginalised communities’

Executive chairperson of the Samata Foundation, Pradip Pariyar, who advocates the rights of marginalised people in Nepal, currently leads the #DalitLivesMatter movement in the country.