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After 17 years, the democratic government in Nepal is faltering. The coup by KP Sharma Oli has dismissed the notion that democracy is the best system of governance for Nepal. Since the establishment of democracy in Nepal, 13 prime ministers have changed in the last 17 years, with none completing their full five-year term.
The failure of prime ministers to complete their terms has led to a period of instability in Nepal. Two major protests have taken place this year. In June 2025, a movement was held across the country, including the capital Kathmandu, to restore the monarchy. Three months after this movement, a violent demonstration by Generation-Z was witnessed.
The question is being raised: why isn’t democracy succeeding in Nepal, which has an 82 percent Hindu population? Does Nepal need to return to the Nehru model to govern?
What is the Nehru model of governance in Nepal?
In 1950, Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of India. At that time, there was a political turmoil in Nepal. Nehru intervened in this. Due to Nehru, the Rana regime ended at that time. Tribhuvan Shah was made the king. In 1951, Pandit Nehru mediated with Tribhuvan Shah and other leaders in New Delhi.
This mediation discussed the formation of an interim government and other issues. This agreement determined that the king would have most of the military and foreign-related powers of Nepal, while the Prime Minister would be elected and would be the head of the executive. The PM would report directly to the King. The PM was given the power to run the government.
Matrika Prasad Koirala was appointed as the Prime Minister, but due to political upheaval, he could not stay in office for long. Tribhuvan Shah died in 1955. His son, King Mahendra Shah, was given the throne in his place. Mahendra Shah implemented the rules established by his father’s time more firmly.
Birendra P Mishra, the former Election Commissioner of Nepal, writes in Nehru and Nepal – Pandit Nehru made it clear to the ruler of Nepal that you must take India’s reaction to any relations you have to establish with China and the Soviet Union.
Nehru said that Nepal is a neighboring country of India, whose 1751 km borders touch each other. If there is any upheaval in Nepal, it will directly affect India. Most of the residents in Nepal are also Hindus like in India. There is a relationship of roti-beti (food and kinship) between the two countries.
Nepal remained calm for 3 decades even after the upheaval.
After the death of Tribhuvan Shah, Mahendra and then Birendra Bikram Shah were made the kings of Nepal. Mahendra overthrew BP Koirala’s government during his reign. Nehru was angry about this and openly targeted the King of Nepal in the Rajya Sabha of India in 1960. There was no major political upheaval in Nepal during Nehru’s time. Nor did any major violent incidents occur.
After Nehru’s departure, there were some minor political upheavals until 1980, but despite this, Nepal remained calm, but after 1980, a storm started in Nepal’s politics. In 1989, a major demonstration took place in Nepal regarding employment and food. The King of Nepal also dismissed the then Prime Minister Marich Man Singh Shrestha to suppress it, but it did not work out.
In the early 1990s, some political mistakes were made by the family of King Birendra Bikram Shah of Nepal. As a result, the fight for democracy became stronger in Nepal. By 2005, the King of Nepal decided to surrender to the democratic soldiers. Finally, in 2006, an agreement was reached on this. However, the atmosphere of unrest continues in Nepal despite this.
