Nepali Congress led coalition is likely to return to power in Nepal and it is good news for India 

Though the results are yet to be announced for the recently held Nepal elections, all indications are that it is going to be a hung parliament with neither of the two rival parties mustering enough seats to form the government on their own. The ruling Nepali Congress party  is all set to be the largest party in the house. The results will be announced next week. The Nepali Congress party, which heads the current ruling coalition is clearly in the lead and the main opposition party—the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist—not garnering enough votes to replace it. Neither party is likely to have the numbers to form a new government. In all probability, Nepali Congress and its current coalition partners will pick up enough seats to reach a majority. If Nepali Congress forms the government it would be good news for India as it has good rapport with it while Communists naturally lean towards China.

This election saw one of the lowest turnout in the recent times.  Only 61 percent of voters cast their votes, much fewer than the previous elections. This was despite the fact that this election was critical for a country whose economy is not doing well and its foreign policy needs to fix the issues with India and recalibrate its relations with China. The low voter turnout is being attributed to voters’ apathy toward the political system of Nepal. The leaders are rather self-serving and not bothered about the real issues confronting the people. Due to economic slowdown and mismanagement the life of the average Nepali citizen has become burdensome to say the least. Right now India style horse-trading is going on in Kathmandu. It is indeed the expediency rather than the ideology that is guiding the process of government formation. Though most parties, unlike the Nepali Congress, are leftist in their approach but are unlikely to form a viable coalition. In fact the fragmentation of left vote has helped Nepali Congress win more seats. Both India and China are observing the developments in Nepal closely as Nepal is strategically important to both. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has strengthened Nepal-India ties in recent years.  K.P. Sharma Oli on the other hand has close ties with the Chinese government. Whosoever comes to power would have to strike a fine balance and keep both New Delhi and Beijing in good humour to avoid any power tussle on its turf. An independent foreign policy which keeps equidistant from both is Nepal’s best bet.