RSP's rise pushes Nepali Congress into identity crisis

The Nepali Congress faces an unprecedented challenge as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has become the dominant force in Nepal's liberal democratic sphere. For decades, the Congress defined itself by its ideological competition with communist parties. However, the RSP's rise has fundamentally altered this political landscape. The RSP, which champions democratic republicanism, the rule of law, and good governance, has captured the support of urban voters, young professionals, and the middle class – demographics that historically favored the Congress. This shift has created a new dynamic within Nepal's democratic politics. In the 2022 general election, the Congress secured 25.71 percent of the proportional representation vote, falling behind the UML's 26.95 percent and the Maoist Centre's 11.13 percent. The RSP, a new entrant, surprised many by winning 10.70 percent. The political equation dramatically changed in the March 5 elections. The RSP emerged as the country's largest democratic party, capturing 47.84 percent of the vote. The Nepali Congress saw its support plummet to 16.24 percent, while the UML and NCP garnered 13.44 percent and 7.49 percent, respectively. Political analysts suggest the Congress now confronts its primary challenge not from the left, but from a party claiming to represent democratic politics more effectively. Political analyst Bishnu Sapkota noted that this election marks a historic turning point, as the RSP has effectively replaced the Congress as the principal democratic force. "For the first time in history, the Congress is facing an identity crisis," Sapkota said, adding that while the party has shrunk before, its ideological position as the main democratic force remained intact until now.

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Winning or losing elections is a part of politics. Parties grow and shrink over time. But for the first time in history, the Congress is facing an identity crisis. Even when it became much smaller after previous elections, such as in 2008 and 2017, its ideological position as the main democratic force remained intact. That is no longer the case now.