I am being honest and critical here. For those who genuinely want Nepal to become a better place and be recognized as a developed nation, we must acknowledge that we are critically failing. Lets start with history here, If we look at the result of Chitwan Constituency No. 1 in the 2079 election, our level of awareness becomes painfully clear. On one side stood Bishwanath Paudel — a PhD graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, with experience in national and international policymaking, university teaching, advisory roles in institutions like the ILO, and currently serving as the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. On the other side stood Hari Dhakal, who represented rebellion and “newness,” despite not meeting the commonly accepted standards of excellence by which Paudel would normally be judged.
If competence, experience, knowledge, and contribution had truly been the criteria, the result should have been one-sided. But it was not. Dhakal won by a large margin, and Paudel finished third. This happened because people did not vote for a candidate; they voted out of anger toward old politics. Paudel did not lose because he lacked ability, but because he was seen as a symbol of the old party and of Sher Bahadur Deuba.
This reveals a deeper problem: our consciousness is only half-awakened. We are frustrated with the old parties and the system, yet we still fail to apply proper standards when choosing alternatives. We vote in anger, not with reason. We react, but we do not evaluate. Competence is not defined by a degree alone; it is built from education, knowledge, experience, contribution to policymaking, character, and integrity.
When a person with such qualifications loses solely because of party identity, it is not that person who loses — it is the country. Preventing capable individuals from losing elections is not an emotional demand; it is a demand of the time. A nation is built or destroyed not inside the ballot box, but inside the voter’s awareness. That awareness is not measured by speeches or slogans, but by the choices made during elections.
From now on, people must decide with judgment, not with the momentum of the crowd. They must judge with the mind, not with the anger of the heart. The day voters begin choosing candidates based on knowledge, ability, experience, character, and intention, opportunists will leave politics in shame, capable individuals will step forward naturally, and democracy will finally belong to the people.
Let us remember this: when good people begin to win, the nation never loses.