The Left alliance in Nepal is heading for a decisive victory in the first election post the 2015 constitution.
What is the result?
Nepal’s new constitution provides for a mix of “First Past the Post (FPTP)” - 165 seats and Proportional Representation (PR) -110 seats in its parliament.
While the final picture of its new Parliament isn’t out, the Leftist Alliance is on course to win more than 70% of the 165 FPTP seats.
The leftists are also leading in most PR seats.
This will make it the first decisive win since democracy began in 1990.
Even at the provincial level that were held along with the national elections, the leftist coalition is in the lead.
What are the implications?
By forming an ideologically coherent alliance and expanding beyond the traditional strongholds in the hill towns, UML has succeeded in reversing its electoral debacles since 2008.
This provides an opportunity for a stable government after years of political instability and would help focus on governance.
But there is considerable scepticism as such opportunities have been wasted in the past due to rumbling disagreements within coalition partners.
Many constitutional issues and particularly the sensitive Madeshi question isn’t settled as yet.
What are the lessons for India?
The elections were largely concluded to be free and fair with more than 300 international observers and Election Commission’s awareness drive.
The Nepali elections would also help in studying the patterns for simultaneous elections for provinces and National Assembly, which has been proposed in India.
Also, the partial ‘Proportional Representation’ concept that has been instituted in Nepal can be studied.
