वि.सं. २००७ देखि हालसम्म राजनीतिक विकास

Two achievements of the People's Movement of 2046 B.S. (1990 CE) were:

1. Restoration of multiparty democracy: The thirty-year Panchayat system was ended and the ban on political parties was lifted.
2. Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2047 B.S.: It established a constitutional monarchy with popular sovereignty, a parliamentary system and fundamental rights.

Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana

After the 2007 B.S. (1951 A.D.) revolution ended the Rana regime, Mohan Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana became the first prime minister under the new system, appointed by King Tribhuvan. Matrika Prasad Koirala became the first commoner prime minister later, in 1951 A.D. (2008 B.S.).

Impact of the fall of the Ranas on Nepalese politics (1951)

The overthrow of the 104-year-old Rana oligarchy in February 1951 (Falgun 2007) was a turning point in Nepalese politics. Its main impacts were:

1. End of family autocracy and beginning of democracy: The Rana system, in which all power was concentrated in the hands of one family, came to an end. Fundamental rights, civil liberties and freedom of speech, press and organisation were restored, and political parties could function openly for the first time.

2. Restoration of the Shah monarchy and rise of royal power: King Tribhuvan, who had been a mere puppet, returned from India and became the real centre of power. The Ranas were replaced not by popular sovereignty but largely by royal dominance, which later made the palace the decisive force in politics.

3. Growth of party politics: The Nepali Congress, the Communist Party and other parties emerged as active political forces. The Interim Government of Nepal Act, 1951, introduced a council of ministers and an advisory assembly, giving Nepal its first experience of parliamentary-style politics. This eventually led to the general election of 1959 and the first elected government under B. P. Koirala.

4. Political instability and the Delhi Compromise: The settlement of 1951 (Delhi Compromise) allowed Rana elements to share power, with Mohan Shumsher as Prime Minister. This unnatural coalition produced frequent changes of government, factionalism and short-lived ministries between 1951 and 1959, weakening the democratic experiment.

5. Indian influence and rise of nationalism: Because the compromise was mediated in Delhi, many Nepalis saw the new arrangement as a product of Indian interference. This gave birth to strong nationalist and anti-Indian sentiments in later politics.

6. Continuity of feudal socio-economic structure: Although birta was abolished and land reform measures were begun, the economic and social dominance of the Rana–aristocratic class and the feudal landed order largely survived. Democracy thus remained formal and elite-dominated.

Evaluation: In brief, the fall of the Ranas was a landmark achievement of the democratic movement — it destroyed an unpopular autocracy, legalised political parties and opened the way to constitutional and parliamentary government. However, it failed to establish genuine popular sovereignty: real power shifted from the Rana family to the Shah palace and the traditional elite, politics became unstable and dependent on external influence, and the feudal base of society was left largely untouched. Hence 1951 marked the beginning, not the completion, of democratisation in Nepal.

The Revolution of 2062/63 B.S. (2005–06 A.D.) was the second Jana Andolan (People's Movement) of Nepal, launched by the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) in cooperation with the CPN (Maoist), which forced King Gyanendra to give up direct rule and restored democracy. Its achievements are far-reaching, though they carry serious limitations when judged critically.

Achievements of the Revolution of 2062/63 B.S.

1. End of autocratic royal rule: The revolution ended the direct rule of King Gyanendra, who had seized power on 1 February 2005 (19 Magh 2061). The king was compelled to restore the House of Representatives on 24 April 2006 (11 Baisakh 2063) and to surrender the executive powers he had usurped.

2. Restoration of democracy and people's sovereignty: The House of Representatives was revived, and the principle of popular sovereignty was re-established. The king was reduced to a nominal, ceremonial head of state.

3. Declaration of a secular state: On 18 May 2006 (4 Jestha 2063), the restored House declared Nepal a secular state, ending the centuries-old status of Hinduism as the state religion and guaranteeing religious freedom.

4. Abolition of monarchy: The revolution created the political ground for the Interim Constitution of 2063 B.S. (2007 A.D.), under which the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly on 28 May 2008 (15 Jestha 2065) formally abolished the 240-year-old Shah monarchy and declared Nepal a federal democratic republic.

5. Inclusion and democratic restructuring: It opened the door to a federal, inclusive and proportional system, with reservations and representation for women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis and other excluded groups in state organs.

6. Peace process: It paved the way for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (21 November 2006) between the government and the Maoists, ending a decade-long armed conflict (1996–2006) and bringing the Maoists into mainstream democratic politics.

7. Republican and civil liberties: Freedom of expression, assembly, press and political organisation were restored; the army was brought under civilian control; and the concept of citizenship based on descent was made more inclusive.

8. Constituent Assembly and the Constitution of Nepal: The revolution made possible the election of the Constituent Assembly (2008) and ultimately the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal, 2072 B.S. (2015 A.D.), which institutionalised federalism, secularism and republicanism.

Critical analysis

• Incomplete transformation: Although the revolution ended the monarchy and declared a republic, the promised structural transformation — land reform, social justice and economic equality — remained largely unfulfilled. Poverty and inequality persisted.
• Political instability: After 2063 B.S., Nepal witnessed frequent changes of government, dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (2012), and prolonged deadlock. The revolution thus produced political freedom but not stable governance.
• Compromise and power-sharing: The SPA and the Maoists compromised on many radical agendas. Former rebels were integrated into the army and politics, but the root causes of the conflict — exclusion, poverty and inequality — were not fully addressed.
• Weak institutionalisation: The gains of the revolution were not fully institutionalised in laws and institutions; many provisions remained on paper only. Corruption and impunity continued.
• Unfulfilled federalism: Although federalism was adopted, its implementation has been slow, and disputes over boundaries, resource sharing and provincial rights persist.
• Dependency on personalities: The revolution was driven more by the charisma of leaders than by strong democratic institutions, making the gains vulnerable to reversal.

Conclusion

The Revolution of 2062/63 B.S. was a landmark in Nepal's democratic history: it ended royal autocracy, established a republic, declared secularism and opened the path to federalism. However, its achievements are partial. It succeeded in changing the political superstructure but failed to bring about the socio-economic transformation that the people had hoped for. Hence, while the revolution was a historic success in political terms, it remains incomplete in terms of social justice, economic equality and institutional consolidation.

Role of King Tribhuvan in the Revolution of 2007 B.S.

King Tribhuvan (born 1963 B.S./1906 A.D., king from 1968 B.S./1911 A.D.) was a powerless king under the Rana prime ministers. In the revolution of 2007 B.S. (1950-51 A.D.) he became the symbol of the struggle, and his role was decisive in ending the Rana regime.

1. Support to the anti-Rana movement Tribhuvan disliked Rana control and secretly supported the Nepali Congress and other groups, meeting their leaders and encouraging them while under strict watch. He had also sympathised with the Praja Parishad martyrs of 1997 B.S., executed by the Ranas.

2. Leaving the palace and taking asylum in India On 21 Kartik 2007 B.S. (6 November 1950), on the pretext of a hunting trip, the King and his family entered the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and took asylum. On 11 November he flew to Delhi. This showed the world that the King was against the Ranas and gave the movement moral strength.

3. Rana response Mohan Shamsher placed the King's three-year-old grandson Gyanendra on the throne. India and other countries did not recognise this, so the Ranas became more isolated.

4. Support to the armed revolution The Nepali Congress's Mukti Sena began the armed revolt in November 1950 under B.P. Koirala and others. As the revolution was in the name of the lawful king, it won wide public support.

5. Delhi Compromise With India's mediation, an agreement was reached in Delhi in February 1951 among the King, the Ranas and the Nepali Congress. It provided for:

• a coalition government of the Ranas and the Congress;
• the King's return and a Constituent Assembly to draft the constitution.

The King returned to Kathmandu, and on 7 Falgun 2007 B.S. (18 February 1951) he proclaimed the end of Rana rule and the beginning of democracy.

Evaluation

• His role was both symbolic and practical: he gave the movement legitimacy and international attention.
• Leaving the country and accepting the Delhi compromise were bold and risky decisions.
• He is honoured as the "Father of Democracy". However, some argue that the compromise brought only partial change and left the monarchy strong, and the Constituent Assembly promised then was not held for decades.

Conclusion: Without King Tribhuvan's courage and leadership the revolution would have been much harder to win. His role was decisive in ending a century of Rana rule.

The Royal Proclamation of 2017 B.S. (15 December 1960 A.D.)

On 1 Poush 2017 B.S. (15 December 1960 A.D.), King Mahendra dissolved the elected Nepali Congress government of Prime Minister B.P. Koirala, dissolved the parliament, arrested the ministers and leaders and suspended the 1959 constitution. This is called the Royal Proclamation or the "Royal Coup" of 2017 B.S. Later the party-less Panchayat system was introduced.

Reasons given by the King He stated that the government had failed to maintain law and order, had been corrupt, had encouraged party politics at the cost of the nation, and had weakened the national interest and the country's security.

Real causes

1. Mahendra's wish for absolute power. The King, who had been a constitutional monarch under the 1959 constitution, was unhappy with the elected government's power and wanted to take back full control.
2. Conflict between the King and the government. B.P. Koirala's government took a number of independent decisions on land reform, administration, and the army, and limited royal privileges. The King saw these as a threat to the monarchy.
3. Land and administrative reforms. The government's Birta Abolition Act and land reform programmes angered the landlords and royal supporters.
4. Political instability and party conflicts. Disputes within the Nepali Congress and the opposition, and unrest in different places, were used as excuses by the King.
5. Weak position of the opposition and influence of the palace. Opposition parties supported the King against the government, and the royal circle encouraged him.
6. International factors. The King felt the Indian influence on the Congress government was too strong and wanted an independent foreign policy. The pro-China and pro-India differences, and the Nepal-India relations of the time, had an effect.
7. Fear of communism and the anti-monarchy mood. The King argued that the democratic system with party politics gave room for anti-monarchy forces.
8. Army support. The King had the loyalty of the army and used it to take over.

Results The multiparty democracy ended, leaders were jailed or exiled and a 30-year party-less Panchayat system started, lasting until 2046 B.S.

Conclusion: The proclamation was mainly made to end the elected government's challenge to the King's power, though the King gave reasons of national interest. It ended the first democratic experiment of Nepal.