KATHMANDU: Minister for Education, Science and Technology Mahabir Pun has cautioned that the rising trend of registering numerous new political parties could undermine emerging political forces and ultimately benefit long-established leaders.
Posting on Facebook on Friday, Minister Pun expressed concern over the growing number of parties seeking registration at the Election Commission. “A total of 123 parties have already been registered, and 32 more are in the process,” he wrote, warning that Nepal’s political culture of fragmentation could prove self-destructive. “They are digging the pit in which they will fall,” he added.
Pun argued that political actors should focus on unity rather than splintering over minor disagreements. “In the world, strength comes not from breaking apart but from coming together,” he stated, suggesting that continued division could allow the return of what he described as “old leaders and their entrenched networks.”
He also warned that if new political forces fail to remain united, the goals of the recent Gen-Z movement could erode. According to him, the government’s positive reforms could be reversed if “corrupt parties” regain power in the next elections.
Pun wrote that Nepal risks sliding back into the hands of “crooked leaders and their close circles who thrived under the protection of elderly politicians” if the current wave of fragmentation continues.
The minister’s remarks come amid a dramatic increase in applications for party registration following recent political changes, youth-led protests, and shifting alignments among new political groups.
Pun reiterated that unity among emerging forces is necessary to safeguard the progress made by the current government. Otherwise, he said, “the achievements will be undone by the same corrupt parties if they return to office.”
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