At Himal Southasian, we are aficionados of the long read, but we do understand that both attention (and time) are scarce. That's the thinking behind Himal Briefs – a new initiative that will bring crisp, informed, contextual analysis from across Southasia. As the series title suggests, we aim to keep it short (if not sweet!) It is also a nod to the Briefs section from our print magazine days, which long time readers may recall. Our aim is to capture recent developments that our longer pieces might sometimes miss.
Expect an insider's view from some former contributors (and a few new faces) on major developments as well as underreported topics from across the region, ranging from politics, to social issues, legislation, economic concerns, cultural debates, the environment, and media and the public sphere. We hope Himal Briefs makes it to your reading lists.
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For a garrulous man, Nepal's former prime minister, and the current leader of opposition, Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli has been relatively quiet since the results of the local elections were declared. Before the polls were held on 13 May 2022, Oli had boasted that his Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party would win at least 60 to 70 percent of the 753 local government units across the country. His campaign was filled with characteristic barbs against the electoral coalition of the current ruling alliance in Kathmandu, that included the Nepali Congress (NC), the Maoists, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist), a breakaway UML faction. The sentiment was not surprising, as the latter two had splintered from the Oli-led parent party, Nepal Communist Party, to join their main rival – and also because the NC-led coalition's campaign relentlessly insisted on the need to defeat UML to rescue democracy.