What major party leaders are coming outside and started responding to the recent political developments.
During the period from September 13 to 19, 2025, following the formation of the interim government under Prime Minister Sushila Karki and the dissolution of parliament, leaders from Nepal's major political parties expressed a mix of criticism, demands for reinstatement of institutions, calls for internal reform, and sympathy for protest victims. The responses largely centered on the constitutionality of the changes, the need for party renewal, and the path to elections scheduled for March 5, 2026. Below is a breakdown by major parties and notable leaders, based on public statements, joint declarations, and interviews.
Collective Response from Major PartiesEight major parties, including the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), and Maoist Centre, jointly issued a statement demanding the reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives. They argued that the dissolution - recommended by interim PM Karki and enacted by President Ram Chandra Poudel - was "unconstitutional and against judicial precedents." The statement, signed by the parties' chief whips, emphasized that protesters' demands should be addressed through democratically elected institutions rather than extra-constitutional measures. Mainstream parties further described the interim government's formation as a "violation of the Constitution," specifically citing Article 61, which they claimed does not allow for a former chief justice like Karki to assume the prime minister role.Nepali Congress (NC)
- Nawaraj Tripathee (Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources): Expressed frustration with the party's internal issues, stating, "Only our party embodies the spirit of democracy etched into its core. But we have lost touch with democracy from within, therefore people are frustrated with us and a leadership that has acted with impunity and a tight grip on power." He called for restructuring and renewal, suggesting Gagan Thapa as a suitable leader to guide the party forward, noting, "Gagan Thapa is best suited to lead the party at this time. But leaders cannot save parties unless they have institutional frameworks in place for dissenting voices to democratically replace leaders."
- The party as a whole offered sympathies for lives lost in the protests but did not explicitly advocate for immediate leadership changes or comment directly on the interim government beyond the joint demand for parliament's reinstatement. No public statements from NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba were reported during this specific timeframe.
- The party indicated no immediate plans for leadership changes despite former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's ousting and subsequent protection by the Nepal Army. Oli, who resigned on September 9 after initially refusing amid violent protests, did not issue new public statements in this period, but the party's involvement in the joint demand for parliament reinstatement reflects opposition to the dissolution. Broader frustrations with long-term leadership stagnation (leaders like Oli in power since the 1990s) were highlighted as contributing to public alienation.
- Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) (Party Leader): Visited the party's gutted headquarters (torched during protests) around mid-September and vowed to rebuild it "on an even grander scale," signaling resilience amid the upheaval.
- Roshan Thapa Magar (Leader, ANNISU-Revolutionary, Maoist-affiliated student wing): Lamented the misuse of power by party leaders, stating, "It was disheartening and disappointing to see how power and position misused by our leaders in a party made up of ordinary people. It is now up to us to reform and restructure our parties to gain this trust again." He noted the party had not yet held a central committee meeting on succession but hoped for a democratic process.
- Like other major parties, the Maoist Centre offered sympathies for protest deaths and joined the call for parliament's reinstatement, viewing the interim setup as unconstitutional.
- Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP):
- Sumana Shrestha (Former Education Minister): Resigned from the party, announcing on social media, "I QUIT," and stated she would not join the interim government.
- Bipin Acharya (Founding Member): Defended the party's ideology and leader Rabi Lamichhane, saying, "It is not fair to compare Rabi Lamichhane to other party leaders, he has not even completed one term. He is innocent until proven guilty and we trust due process in the new judiciary under the GenZ interim government." No statements from Rabi Lamichhane himself were reported in this period.
- Baburam Bhattarai (Former PM, Socialist Party of Nepal): In an interview shared on September 18, he expressed understanding toward protesters despite personal loss, stating, "Protesters burnt my home, but I understand their anger. This is a new era in country's democracy." He discussed the Gen Z movement's impact on future politics and foreign relations.
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