Kathmandu: With the country all set to hold the historic House of Representatives election on March 5, some political parties and candidates made public their election manifestos, while some are learnt to be giving final touches to the essential documents.
On February 10, the Election Commission directed the political parties and candidates to make their election manifestos public by February 15. Reminding the Election Code of Conduct and the Political Parties Act, the parties and candidates have been urged to make public their manifestos.
Manifesto: Communicative tool
Election manifesto is the official document of the political parties and their electoral candidates, which bear their principles, agenda and vision. It charts out future programmes and plans, and makes written commitment to translate the goals into actions in a particular constituency and across the country. It is a periodic framework of party’s plans to elevate national status in socioeconomic frontiers.
Most importantly, the election manifesto is the effective medium for political parties and candidates to share their agenda before people and attempt to persuade them in particular favour. It is indeed a vote begging tool.
However, questions persist whether the election manifesto is enough to convince people and whether the voters depend largely on it before deciding on vote casting.
Platform publicity
In the age with limited atmosphere of mass communications, the communication with printed documents could bear significant value to make people aware on party agenda and vision. Still, literacy rate and language barriers could limit it.
Now, time changed radically that the voters and the public in general do not seem feeling any need of election manifestos- they are saturated with the flood of information with speeches of their parties and candidates. It is problematic that they have been victim of eco-chamber created by the algorithm and artificial intelligence (AI). On the other hand, it has been super easy for the parties and contenders alike to reach the public their views in no time. As in the publicity, they would certainly leverage digital frontiers to give a boost to manifestos’ visibility. It is therefore called the age of platforms- a shift from the age of pamphlets.
Irrespective of the present digital environment holding sway, parties are bound to prepare the election manifestos, which are warranted from legal viewpoints as well. The EC has reminded the parties for the same.
For every aware citizen and observer of national politics and election, election manifesto counts much. How the parties present their principles, set the goals and commit to translating the goals into actions is keenly followed to understand their present stand, and future orientation and behaviour. It should give a lens to analyse their worth and keep a close watch further. No doubt, the documents incorporate issues of objective realities to ambitious projections. But, how they adopt the measures to achieve ambitions is relevant for the analyses and pose questions in case of failure, and the praise in case of achievement.
Economy: Common issue
The most common issues of all parties and candidates are undoubtedly related to economic growth and prosperity. It in need directly related to other sectors that the dismal economic growth requires attention from various sides. Worrying factor is that ambitions are set of achieving double digit growth rate in coming five years but measures to achieve it fall flatly. It is sheer contradiction of parties to make ambitious projections on the one hand and making snail-paced efforts for the achievements.
To avoid such contradiction, genuine endeavours to revive national economy must be put in place. For it to happen, the political behaviour must be corrected. It is worth noting that the political behaviour turned not only pervasive but also invasive, denting national institutions.
It is clear that the extractive political behaviour fueled the extractive economy that distanced equality and paved way for select few to accumulate the wealth. It is often decried as a practice of crony capitalism in Nepal. Do our political parties show courage to dismantle the vicious cycle that spur such economy?
Yes, the private sector, which is the engine of national economy, faced brutal attacks during the September Gen Z movement. The private sector therefore needs sympathy, relief, encouragement and security. Without earning the confidence neither of the private sector, neither the political parties’ nor of the government plans translate into action. At the same time, it is imperative to create atmosphere where economic freedoms are exercised unobstructed and national economy propped up.
Educational sector, good governance, federal strengthening and trust in public institutions are other needs the parties should pay heed.
Swift and smooth service delivery
People have heard many slogans of the national development and prosperity. There are already several national plans and documents featuring national ambitions and dream projects. Mere mention of numerous ambitions in manifestos does not count, but achievable approaches and strategies. Those days of ‘ism’ have lost relevance. Fed up with assurances, the people have lost patience either to see stack of dreamy projects. They want the results fast and smooth as digital age warrants.
The fast and smooth service delivery is not only the digital need but also the aspiration of Gen Z movement. The election being held in the backdrop of the Gen Z movement cannot ignore the demands put forth by the youths. Among their demands, good governance and corruption control come at top. In addition to the commitments in manifestos, political parties can forward corrective measures in their behaviours, which would help them realize the ambitions in the changed context. RSS
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