Laal Salam in Nepal

The jury over Nepal general election is out.
Proving all the predictions wrong, the Nepalese Congress (Mao) has registered a landslide victory. Led by charismatic leader Prachanda, the latest entrant in Nepal politics has sent a stunner to major political players of Nepal. After the poll results, while Prachanda was quick to announce the end of monarchy in Nepal, opposition parties were busy licking their wounds. In the face of it, opposition parties are now left with no other choice than joining the new government led by the Maoists Congress of Nepal.
The history of red march in Nepal is full of twist and turns. In the shadow of monarchy in Nepal, Prachanda decided to take the roads never taken in the history of the country. He had the dream of monarchy-free Nepal, even if it required bloodshed. For more than two decades the Maoists fought for the cause giving and taking lives.
Initially, the government and Narayanhiti palace managed to outcast the rebel fighters as terrorists. In the two decades of killings from both the sides, the cause, the reason and the sacrifices of the red brigade never came out.
Up to an extent, the Maoists are themselves to be blamed for this. Their leaders barely came out from the hiding and the government managed to dub them as a force greedy for money and power.
After the tragic end of the most celebrated King Virendra Vikram Shah and his rule in 2001, Nepal found itself into the certain sea of uncertainty. Major political parties ended up mere puppets in the hands of the new king Gyanendra and the public good held no value in the agenda of the new government.
Inflation was soaring and the prices were on the rise, it was a perfect time for Prachanda and his force to mouth the voice of the common man. He grabbed the opportunity and managed to shed the image of a ‘bloodthirsty’ unit. This was the time when Prachanda evolved as a leader of the masses and decided to play active role in politics. He got a fair share respect in the politics and played an important role in installing the new guard in Nepal in 2006. However, the west countries and political pundits in India never gave him the thumbs-up and underplayed his potential.
Now after proving all the odds wrong, the Maoists will have a task to prove. They will have to break the myth that they can only fight and running a nation is beyond their wings.
Nevertheless, it is time to say ‘Lal Saalam’ in Nepal.