KATHMANDU: The government is set to introduce the long-dormant Political Parties Bill in the upcoming House of Representatives session on March 5, triggering widespread concern among smaller political parties.
The bill, which aims to amend the Political Parties Act 2017, could make it easier for parties to split—a move that opposition groups suspect is designed to weaken them.
The government, led by the Nepali Congress (NC) and the UML, has been facing hurdles in passing six ordinances, including one on land reforms, due to internal disagreements within the seven-party ruling coalition.
With the opposition also mounting resistance, the government has now shifted its focus to pushing forward the Political Parties Bill, a move seen by many as a strategic attempt to bypass legislative deadlock and consolidate power.
Strategic move amid legislative deadlock
The government had introduced six ordinances at the start of the winter session but has failed to get them passed due to opposition from coalition partners like the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP).
These ordinances, which cover various issues including land reforms, have been a major source of contention, with some coalition partners threatening to withdraw support if they are passed.
With Parliament suspended since February 25, the government has been looking for alternative ways to break the deadlock. One such way appears to be the revival of the Political Parties Bill, which, if passed, could allow easier party splits.
“The Political Parties Bill has been inactive for a long time. We are going to bring this bill to make the inactive law active rather than for any purpose,” said Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire.
However, opposition parties and smaller coalition partners remain unconvinced, fearing that the bill could be used to dismantle their parties by making it easier for dissatisfied members to defect.
The Political Parties Act 2017 has been a controversial legal tool in Nepal’s political landscape. It was first altered in September 2021 when then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba introduced an ordinance on party division to weaken the UML, allowing Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal to split from the UML and form the Unified Socialist.
At that time, the law was amended to allow a 20% quota of either the parliamentary party or the central committee to form a new party. However, after President Bidya Devi Bhandari revoked the ordinance in October 2021, the provision became inactive.
When Pushpa Kamal Dahal was prime minister, he attempted to revive the bill in February 2024, increasing the party division threshold to 40%, but his government failed to move it forward.
Now, with NC and UML joining forces, they have agreed to reactivate Section 33 of the Political Parties Act, which currently requires at least 40% of members from both the central committee and the parliamentary party to split a party.
Fear among smaller parties
Smaller parties like JSP Nepal and LSP see the bill as a direct threat to their survival. JSP leader Upendra Yadav has openly criticized the move, arguing that it is an attempt to destabilize smaller parties.
“This plan may have been hatched to divide small parties. We are not in favor of supporting the land ordinance under any circumstances,” Yadav said in an interview with Khabarhub. “We can support the other five ordinances. However, we will not support the land ordinance as we believe it will bring chaos and divide the country. We will not remain silent if the government does something wrong.”
Opposition parties also share concerns that the bill could be used selectively to break up political rivals. Maoist Centre Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey warned that if the bill is presented in Parliament, his party will strongly oppose it.
“We will take action after the government registers the bill. There are rumors now. We will not remain silent if there is any vested interest,” Pandey said. “There have been threats and enticements to pass the six ordinances. It is not right for the government to go the wrong way. If that situation arises, we will not remain silent.”
A political setting?
The controversy surrounding the bill has been further fueled by allegations of bribery. Last Saturday, JSP MP Rekha Yadav claimed that lawmakers were being offered up to Rs 100 million to vote in favor of the land ordinance. However, she has remained silent on the issue since making the allegations.
Meanwhile, the ruling coalition has denied these accusations. UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula stated that the bill is not aimed at breaking any particular party but rather at ensuring a functional political system.
“If the existing law needs to be amended to make it timely, it has been agreed to bring the bill to Parliament in that case too,” Bartaula said. “The bill related to political parties will come. The government will bring the bill based on the need. The bill related to political parties is necessary. Congress-UML can bring the bill together. Instead of splitting any party, the government can activate the inactive law. This is the responsibility of the government.”
Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ghimire reiterated that the 40% threshold for party division will remain unchanged and denied allegations that the bill was designed to target specific parties.
“Sub-section 2 of Article 33 is inactive. Nothing will change from the previous provisions. There will be no increase or decrease in the 40% of the central committee and parliamentary party,” Ghimire said.
According to sources in Baluwatar, a high-level meeting between NC and UML leaders on Friday night decided to formally present the bill in Parliament on March 5 or 6.
The government is also preparing to bring the six ordinances in two ways. If JSP and LSP agree, the ordinances will be passed as they are. If they refuse, the government will withdraw them and reintroduce them as general bills.
However, JSP and LSP remain firm in their stance against the land ordinance, making the path forward uncertain.
“We will not support the land ordinance,” said LSP MP Sarbendra Nath Shukla. “The government cannot expect our cooperation on this issue.”
Potential impact
If the Political Parties Bill is passed, it could have far-reaching implications. The CPN (Unified Socialist), which broke away from the UML in 2021, could face pressure from discontented members who might return to UML.
The Nepali Congress has reportedly set its sights on Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), hoping to lure away members. Similarly, the UML is rumored to be targeting JSP, particularly the faction led by Ashok Rai, in an attempt to weaken Upendra Yadav’s leadership.
Although there are internal disagreements in these parties, no significant defections have been seen yet. However, smaller parties fear that once the bill becomes law, the ruling alliance might use it to reshape Nepal’s political landscape to its advantage.
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