Both India and China are eagerly awaiting the results of elections in Nepal, divided along political lines, where it voted on Sunday to form a new government.
Image Credit source: PTI
About 61 percent of Nepal’s 17.9 million voters had cast their votes at more than 22,000 polling stations till 5 p.m. on Sunday, down from 78 percent in 2017 and 77 percent in 2013. The decline in voter turnout reflects widespread political disenchantment. For the Federal Parliament of Nepal, 165 members will be elected through direct voting, while 110 members will be elected through the proportional method. Similarly, 330 members of the provincial assembly will be directly elected and 220 will be elected proportionally.
In the last 16 years, 13 different governments were formed in Nepal, due to which people are dissatisfied with the existing political parties and leaders. All governments have largely failed to act in a country that is trapped between two Asian giants. Hoping to cash in on the political uncertainty, a large number of independent candidates are in the fray. Several reports suggest that he may emerge as the kingmaker of the country when the results are out next month.
dragon at the door
The results of Nepal elections are going to be very important for India, because it has seen its small neighboring country continuously increasing its proximity to China, which is worrying. Despite India’s concerns, Nepal has become a part of China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative, raising security concerns for India. Nepal also joined Beijing’s Transit and Transportation Agreement under the leadership of pro-China leader KP Sharma Oli.
What India really wants in Kathmandu is a government that not only safeguards good relations with New Delhi but also promotes it. There are reports that the coalition led by the ruling Nepali Congress under the leadership of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is likely to win, but the question of forming a stable government in the country remains in place.
Oli vs Nepali Congress vs America
In this election, there is a direct contest between the five-party alliance of the Nepali Congress (NC) led by Deuba and the five-party alliance of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) led by China’s favorite KP Sharma Oli. KP Sharma Oli has proved to be a troublemaker for New Delhi.
Why are eyes fixed on Nepal elections
Given its increasing competition with China, the US is also vying to increase its influence in Nepal, which shares a border with the Chinese Tibet region. Kathmandu is part of the $500 million US-backed Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to build a new network of roads and energy projects in the Himalayan country.
However, Nepal has so far rejected Washington’s offer to be part of the State Partnership Program, which also means military partnership. Irrespective of the election outcome in Nepal, the three countries will vie to woo the parties holding power and hope to exert some degree of influence in the strategically important Nepal. Overall, Nepal is likely to emerge as a political theater in the world of growing US-China competition. (CLICK HERE to read this news in English)