In Nepal, young PM Balen Shah is falling into old fault lines

In Nepal, Prime Minister Balendra Shah is grappling with challenges that echo the tactics of past administrations, according to a recent report. The 20-year-old leader, who ascended to power following the ousting of the king in 2006, has struggled to maintain his footing in the political landscape. Despite his declaration of democracy as a permanent fixture in Nepal, Shah has demonstrated a pattern of limited engagement with the legislature.

In the past six months, Shah has made only four appearances in parliament, speaking only twice and once leaving the chamber during a joint session. Additionally, he has failed to seek the President's chamber even once.

Shah's leadership style appears to mirror that of his predecessors, the Maoists, Nepali Congress, and Communist Party of Nepal (UML), who have also utilized the legislature as a rubber stamp. The current government has been accused of silencing parliamentary debate, even during the constitution-making process. On September 27, former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana was arrested by police without a warrant, only to be released 12 hours later upon presenting a letter stating his request for protection.

Since then, Rana's family members and associates have been subjected to a wide-ranging investigation for charges such as attempting to influence pending cases and undermining the Shah government in collusion with both ruling and opposition figures.

The Home Minister, Sudhan Gurung, is overseeing the investigation, but it remains unclear why the government chose not to inform parliament about this matter. In a politically polarized environment, Shah is considered a hero, while Rana is portrayed as the antagonist. Gurung has warned that the misuse of information gained through official positions will not be tolerated, offering insight into the potential direction of the case.

The investigation is expected to consider the internal dissent within Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party and criticism from MPs who support party leader Rabi Lamichhane. Moreover, UML chief and former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli is calling for the reinstatement of parliament, which was dissolved on September 12 following widespread anti-corruption protests led by the youth generation.

The government's investigation seems to be weaving together various threads, potentially implicating Lamichhane, Oli, and Maoist leader Prachanda.