The Rastriya Prajatantra Party has claimed that democratic forces and democracy were attacked constantly by ultra-leftist forces in the past decade.

Not naming the prime minister’s party CPN (Maoist Centre),  the coalition partner claimed that the democratic forces had to reluctantly accept the ultra-leftist strategic agendas of the party, calling the situation a “bitter reality” of the national politics.

Unveiling its manifesto for the upcoming local elections in the Capital on Wednesday, the fourth largest party stated in length how the Maoist ideology gradually dominated politics, with the democratic forces being mere spectators.

In the 29-page document, the RPP criticises the act of recognising 33,000 Maoist combatants at the beginning of the peace process though their real strength was hardly 8,000. The decision to allow 83 seats to the Maoists, equal to the UML, in the parliament reinstated after the People’s Movement in 2006 was a mistake, the party said.

The royalist party also lashed at the decision of allowing the Maoists to contest the first Constituent Assembly election in 2008 without the integration of their combatants.

The trend of imposing the will of some parties on all matters started after 2006, which destroyed the rule of law and democratic practices, the party observed.

Defending its ideology of Hinduism and constitutional monarchy, the party came down heavily on the major political forces for imposing their syndicate and turning Nepal into a secular, republic and federal state “without the people’s mandate”.

“There is no need for federalism in the country. Instead, there should be an empowered local governance system,” reads the manifesto of the party whose chairman is the minister for federal affairs, tasked with overseeing implementation of federalism in the country.

The right-wing party accused the major parties of not holding the local elections in the past two decades, thus barring the people from exercising their democratic rights. 

The party observes that there have been planned and organised efforts to weaken Nepal’s national identity, naming conversion of religion as a factor.

“The indigenous communities and Dalits are the targets of such agents who have been in the business of religion conservation by luring the people or intimidating them,” reads the document, claiming that at least one million Hindus embraced other religions in recent years.

“Many national and international forces have long been conspiring to make Nepal unstable to fulfil their vested interests,” the party said. “The mentality among the parties that they can’t reach the seat of power without the blessings of foreign forces has to be blamed more than anything for this.”

Holding the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the Maoists responsible for the country’s instability and problems, the RPP presented itself as an alternative force to lead the country.

The party announced some ambitious plans of turning all the municipalities into smart cities, having 25-bedded hospitals in every local federal unit and employment for at least one member of each family.

Key promises

-    Public holiday on the birth anniversary of king Prithvi Narayan Shah

-    Establishment of shelters for cow in every local level unit

-    Support to construction of temples, churches, monasteries

-    At least 20 percent budget for the education sector

-    Ending politicisation of the education sector

-    Settlements for poor and marginalised communities

-    Ending poverty in 10 years

-    Ending the culture of banda, party not to resort to shutdowns

-    Roads in every ward in five years

-    Special package for the Tarai/Madhes