The Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the Rastriya Swatantra Party on Thursday published their manifestos for the March 5 House of Representatives elections, outlining broadly similar priorities on governance, economic reform and improved service delivery.

Yet, guided by different ideologies, they have outlined different ways to attain the larger goals.

A day after the Nepali Congress presented its “10-point vision” before an election rally in Janakpur, the party formally released its full manifesto in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Rather than calling it a conventional manifesto, the Congress has described the document as a ‘pratigya patra’—a pledge to the people.

In the manifesto, the Congress has put political transformation at the forefront of its agenda.

Honouring the youth uprising of September 8-9, the party declared a commitment to fully transforming itself. Good governance is at the core of the manifesto, emphasising the ‘eradication’ of corruption, the rule of law, and accountable politics.

The manifesto highlights key commitments: establishing a transparent and effective governance system, restoring the credibility of public institutions, and ensuring meaningful youth participation in politics.

To strengthen federalism, it promises clear division of powers between federal, provincial, and local governments, institutional development of the federal structure, and timely constitutional amendments. Drawing lessons from past achievements and shortcomings, the party aims to play a leading role in implementing the constitution, investigating incidents related to the Gen Z uprising, ensuring justice for victims, and fulfilling commitments made to Gen Z.

Echoing past movements, the party’s slogan—“We have transformed the Congress, now we will transform the country”—underscores political stability and a coordinating role.

Economically, the manifesto envisions a liberal, production-driven, and equitable economy, prioritising jobs creation, agricultural modernisation, and infrastructure development.

It sets an ambitious target of creating 1.2 million jobs over five years, although the manifesto does not detail the specific basis for this projection. Other commitments include promoting the private sector, attracting foreign investment, and advancing a green economy, with a goal of sustaining economic growth of above 7 percent.

Recognising youth as the country’s core strength, the party emphasises skill development, safe foreign employment opportunities, and support for returning migrant workers to pursue entrepreneurship. On poverty alleviation and social protection, it aims to reduce the poverty rate below 10 percent, expand contribution-based social security, and provide relief for the most vulnerable.

The Congress has pledged to reduce economic inequality and build a prosperous Nepal, with sufficient energy, digital transformation, and tourism identified as key growth drivers to underpin economic stability and long-term prosperity.

In diplomacy, the manifesto adopts a diaspora-focused approach. Under the slogan “Once a Nepali, always a Nepali,” it promises to safeguard the rights of Nepalis abroad while strengthening economic diplomacy and improving foreign employment policies. The party also commits to enhancing diplomatic engagement on British Gurkha matters and cross-border projects.

Ahead of the March 5 election, the Congress has also promised to ensure that public spaces across the country would remain free from arson or unrest, recalling the fires and vandalism that erupted on September 9 during the second day of the Gen Z uprising.

The Congress had unveiled its manifesto for the 2022 election under the slogan “Constitution’s protection, stability, and progress—A government led by the Nepali Congress.”

The 2022 manifesto was prepared under the leadership of then-general secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma, with inputs from figures including former vice-chair of the National Planning Commission, Swarnim Wagle. Although the manifesto envisioned a Congress-led government, the party was unable to form one despite being the largest in Parliament at the time.

In its 2022 manifesto, the Congress also pledged to prevent the misuse of government property and the overexploitation of natural resources, which have been repeated this time too. It promised not to make decisions beyond legal limits, nor be swayed by financial incentives or personal influence, and to respect the spirit of the constitution by avoiding interference in the authority of local governments.