Evaluating Good Governance Under Balendra Shah's Government

Published on October 13, 2036, this article by Somat Ghimire analyzes the governance and accountability of Prime Minister Balendra Shah's government in Nepal. The government came to power riding a wave of anti-establishment sentiment and strong demands for good governance, notably channeled through the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). However, the author argues that the administration is falling short on its promises, specifically highlighting unfulfilled commitments like the farmer pension scheme from its 100-point agenda. The article criticizes Prime Minister Shah for lacking transparency, failing to answer to Parliament, and showing weak public accountability. Furthermore, it points out the missed opportunity for the RSP to establish a constructive internal oversight mechanism to keep the executive branch accountable without creating friction, ultimately warning that a lack of responsiveness steers the democracy toward authoritarian tendencies.