Editing Politics of Nepal (section)

==History ==
===Family politics===
{{multiple image
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 | header = 
 | image1 = Damodar Pande.jpg
 | width1 = 150
 | alt1 = Damodar Pande
 | link1 = Damodar Pande
 | caption1 = [[Damodar Pande]], Mulkaji of Nepal from aristocratic [[Pande family]] (1799–1804)<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/nepal/10.htm Nepal:The Struggle for Power] (Sourced to [[U.S. Library of Congress]])</ref><ref>{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=UWQtAAAAQBAJ&dq=Damodar+Pande+kill&pg=PT216| title = The Bloodstained Throne Struggles for Power in Nepal (1775-1914) - Baburam Acharya| isbn = 9789351182047| last1 = Acharya| first1 = Baburam| date = 15 August 2013| publisher = Penguin UK}}</ref>
 | image2 = Bhimsen Thapa from Art et Civilisation.jpg
 | width2 = 185
 | alt2 = Bhimsen Thapa
 | link2 = Bhimsen Thapa
 | caption2 = [[Bhimsen Thapa]], Mukhtiyar of Nepal from aristocratic [[Thapa family]] (1806–1837){{sfn|Karmacharya|2005|p=88}}

}}

The four noble families to be involved in the active politics of the Kingdom of Nepal before the rise of the [[Rana dynasty]] were the [[Shah dynasty]], the [[Basnyat family]], the [[Pande dynasty]] and the [[Thapa dynasty]].{{sfn|Joshi|Rose|1966|p=23}} At the end of 18th century, the Thapas and the Pandes had extreme dominance over Nepalese Darbar politics, alternatively contesting for central power with one another.{{sfn|Pradhan|2012|p=9}} Early politics in the [[Kingdom of Nepal]] was characterised by factionalism, conspiracies and murders, including two major massacres.{{efn|See [[Kot massacre]] and [[1806 Bhandarkhal massacre|Bhandarkhal massacre]]}} After almost a century of power-wrangling among the Basnyat, Pande and Thapa families, the military leader [[Jung Bahadur Rana|Bir Narsingh Kunwar]]{{Efn|later known as Janga Bahadur Rana|name=|group=}} emerged on top in the aftermath of the [[Kot massacre]], and established the [[Rana dynasty]] in 1846, which consolidated powers of [[King of Nepal|the king]] and prime minister and would reign for another century with a policy of oppression and isolationism.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com.np/news/2018-09-15/the-misunderstood-queen.html|title=The misunderstood queen|newspaper=[[The Kathmandu Post]]|language=en|access-date=21 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821072837/http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com.np/news/2018-09-15/the-misunderstood-queen.html|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/70006/|title=War changed everything|last=Basnyat|first=Prem Singh|newspaper=[[Republica (newspaper)|Republica]]|language=en|access-date=21 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821072835/https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/70006/|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Post 1950s===
{{multiple image
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| image1            = Ram Chandra Poudel during oath taking ceremony of President of Nepal.jpeg
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| alt1              = Ram Chandra Poudel
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| caption1          = Ram Chandra Poudel,President of Nepal since 13 March 2023
| image2            = KP Sharma Oli.png
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| alt2              = KP Sharma Oli
| link2             = KP Sharma Oli
| caption2          = KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal since 14 July 2024
}}

By the 1930s, Nepali expatriates in India had started smuggling in writings on political philosophies, which gave birth to a vibrant underground political movement in the capital, birthing [[Nepal Praja Parishad]] in 1939, which was dissolved only two years later, following the execution of the [[Martyrs of Nepal|four great martyrs]]. Around the same time, Nepalis involved in the [[Indian independence movement|Indian Independence Movement]] started organising into political parties, leading to the birth of [[Nepali Congress]] and [[Communist Party of Nepal]]. Following Indian independence, Nepali Congress was successful in overthrowing the Rana regime with support from the Indian government and cooperation from [[Tribhuvan of Nepal|the king]].<ref name=ram00>{{Citation|last1=Ramachandran|first1=Shastri|date=2003|title=Nepal as Seen from India|journal=[[India International Centre Quarterly]]|volume=30|issue=2|pages=81–98|issn=0376-9771|jstor=23006108}}</ref> While communism was still trying to find its footing, Nepali Congress enjoyed overwhelming support of the electorate. Following a brief ten-year exercise in democracy, the autocratic [[Panchayat (Nepal)|Panchayat system]] was initiated, this time by [[Mahendra of Nepal|the King]], who deposed the democratically elected government of Nepali Congress, imprisoned or exiled prominent leaders and issued a ban on party politics.<ref name=ram00/><ref name="mr2">{{Citation|url=https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/2513/|title=Recalling Pushpa Lal|last=Adhikari|first=Dipendra|newspaper=[[Republica (newspaper)|Republica]]|access-date=17 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726082950/https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/2513/|archive-date=26 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="jst">{{Citation|author=M. D. Gurung|year=1977|title=Communist Movement in Nepal|journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]]|volume=12|issue=44|pages=1849–1852|jstor=4366057}}</ref><ref name=":4" />

Many political parties and their leaders remained underground or in exile for the next 30 years of "partyless" politics in Nepal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/neighbours/story/19800515-panchayat-system-or-multiparty-system-of-govt-nepal-in-throes-of-political-crisis-806650-2014-01-30|title=Panchayat system or multiparty system of govt: Nepal in throes of political crisis|last=Pandey|first=Ashok R.|newspaper=[[India Today]]|language=en|access-date=21 August 2019|date=15 May 1980|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821072841/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/neighbours/story/19800515-panchayat-system-or-multiparty-system-of-govt-nepal-in-throes-of-political-crisis-806650-2014-01-30|archive-date=21 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> BP Koirala was released from prison in 1968 and went into exile in Benaras, returning in 1976 only to immediately be put in house arrest.<ref name="ram00" /> Although an armed insurgency launched by the major communist faction called the Jhapa movement had failed comprehensively by 1971, it formed the foundation for the dominant communist power, [[Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) (1978)|CPN (ML)]], that was officially launched in 1978.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|url=https://www.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2015/03/01/rk-mainali-rejoins-uml/|title=Nepali Times {{!}} The Brief » Blog Archive » RK Mainali rejoins UML|newspaper=[[Nepali Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=26 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121212807/http://www.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2015/03/01/rk-mainali-rejoins-uml/|archive-date=21 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> A general referendum was held in 1980, which saw the CPN ML campaign for the option of multi-party democracy, along with Nepali Congress, but the Panchayat System was declared the winner to significant controversy.<ref name="jst"/> The Panchayat rule saw governments led by a group of monarchy loyalists taking turns, with [[Surya Bahadur Thapa]], [[Tulsi Giri]] and [[Kirti Nidhi Bista]] becoming prime minister three times each, among others. It introduced a number of reforms, built infrastructures and modernised the country, while significantly curtailing political freedom, imposing the Nepali language and Khas culture to the oppression of all others, and spreading Indophobic propaganda, the effects of which are experienced to the present day.<ref name=ram00/><ref name=":4" />

In 1990, the joint civil resistance launched by the [[United Left Front (Nepal, 1990)|United Left front]] and Nepali Congress was successful in overthrowing the Panchayat, and the country became a constitutional monarchy.<ref name=ram00/><ref>Rawal, Bhim Bahadur. ''Nepalma samyabadi andolan: udbhab ra vikas''. Kathmandu: Pairavi Prakashan. p. 83-84.</ref> The United Left Front became [[CPN UML]].<ref name=":4" /> The Panchayat loyalists formed [[Rastriya Prajatantra Party|National Democratic Party]], which emerged as the third major party. While Nepali Congress ran the government for most of the next ten years of democracy that followed, democracy was mostly a disappointment owing to the immature democratic culture and political infighting in the capital, as well as the civil war that followed the guerrilla insurgency launched by [[CPN Maoist|the Maoist Party]]. Following a four-year autocratic rule by [[King Gyanendra]] that failed to defeat the Maoists, a mass civil protest was launched by a coalition of the Maoists and the political parties in 2006, which forced the king to stepped down, brought the Maoists to the peace process, and established a democratic republic by 2008.<ref name="The Telegraph">{{Citation |last=Bell |first=Thomas |title=Nepal abolishes monarchy as King Gyanendra given fortnight to vacate palace |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/2044579/Nepal-abolishes-monarchy-as-King-Gyanendra-given-fortnight-to-vacate-palace.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=28 May 2008 |access-date=5 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416134742/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/2044579/Nepal-abolishes-monarchy-as-King-Gyanendra-given-fortnight-to-vacate-palace.html |archive-date=16 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Citation|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/asia/2017/10/nepal-headed-communist-state-171014095129113.html|title=Is Nepal headed towards a communist state?|newspaper=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|access-date=26 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726113406/https://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/asia/2017/10/nepal-headed-communist-state-171014095129113.html|archive-date=26 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Prachanda.jpg|thumb|Prachanda speaking at a rally in Pokhara]]
Following the political consensus to draft the new constitution of the Republic via a constituent assembly, Nepali politics saw a rise of nationalist groups and ideologies. While the political power-wrangling caused continuous instability, maintaining the established average of nine months per government, this period saw two constituent assembly elections and the rise of Madhesi nationalist parties, especially in the Eastern Terai region.<ref name=mao>{{Citation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070605214.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |title=Long stalemate after Maoist victory disrupts life in Nepal |first=Anup |last=Kaphle |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=22 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104015054/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070605214.html |archive-date=4 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11057207&fsrc=nwl |title=Nepal's election The Maoists triumph |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=17 April 2008 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214103506/http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11057207&fsrc=nwl |archive-date=14 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Baburam Bhattarai elected prime minister of Nepal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14700892 |access-date=12 March 2012 |work=BBC News |date=28 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010024052/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14700892 |archive-date=10 October 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/nepal-pm-calls-new-elections-after-constitution-failure-1.1251219 |title=Nepal PM calls new elections after constitution failure |newspaper=[[CBC News]] |date=28 May 2012 |access-date=28 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528045008/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/05/27/nepal-elections.html |archive-date=28 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2015, the new constitution had been promulgated and Nepal became "a federal democratic republic striving towards democratic socialism".<ref name=":5">{{Citation|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-09/17/c_134631066.htm|title=Nepal's new constitution endorsed through Constituent Assembly&nbsp;— Xinhua {{!}} English.news.cn|newspaper=[[Xinhua News Agency]]|access-date=26 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130160107/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-09/17/c_134631066.htm|archive-date=30 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2017, a series of elections were held according to the new constitution, which established [[Nepal Communist Party (NCP)]] (formally united after the election) as the ruling party at the federal level as well as six of the seven provinces, Nepali Congress as the only significant opposition in federal and provincial levels, while the Madhesi coalition formed the provincial government in Province No. 2, but boasts negligible presence in the rest of the country.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-05-26/uml-wins-mayor-deputy-mayor-in-pokhara-lekhnath-metropolis.html|title=UML wins mayor, deputy mayor in Pokhara Lekhnath metropolis|newspaper=[[The Kathmandu Post]]|access-date=18 April 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418092943/http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-05-26/uml-wins-mayor-deputy-mayor-in-pokhara-lekhnath-metropolis.html|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/nepali-communists-win-landslide-face-big-obstacles-win-change|title=Nepali Communists win landslide, but face big obstacles to win change|date=5 January 2018|newspaper=[[Green Left Weekly]]|language=en|access-date=17 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726113413/https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/nepali-communists-win-landslide-face-big-obstacles-win-change|archive-date=26 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-01-29/uml-to-get-4-chief-ministers-maoist-centre-2.html|title=UML to get 4 chief ministers, Maoist Centre 2|newspaper=[[The Kathmandu Post]]|access-date=18 April 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418092959/http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-01-29/uml-to-get-4-chief-ministers-maoist-centre-2.html|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>