The Gen Z movement has shown the world how young people can have an unprecedented impact on the national political scene, challenging the notion that politics is solely the domain of older generations. The government, which used to boast of a near two-thirds majority, came down to its knees within 27 hours of the movement – the shortest successful movement ever witnessed in history.

The governments of Gopal, Abhir, Kirat, Lichchhavi, Thakuri, Malla, and Shah dynasties must have come to an end following movements albeit of a different nature than that of the Gen Zee. However, Prithvi Narayan Shah, though a baby boomer when he was king, genuinely carried the feelings of the Gen Zees of today. He had said in his divine preaching that persons engaged in bribes, both takers and givers, were equally responsible, and it would not be sinful even if they were done to death.

But what we know for sure is that the Rana dynasty, which ruled for 104 years, tumbled down due to the People's Revolution launched by the Nepali Congress (NC). A post-people's revolution government was formed under Rana Prime Minister Mohan Shumsher with five ministers from the Ranas and five from the NC, in which B P Koirala was the home minister. After a string of political instabilities, a national election was finally announced in 1958, in which the NC won with an overwhelming majority. It formed a government with B P Koirala as its prime minister.

But this popular government was toppled by an ambitious King Mahendra. He banned the political parties and arrested all the NC leaders, including Koirala. He formed a government under his chairmanship with ministers taken from among his staunch supporters and erstwhile dissident NC member Tulsi Giri, who was also a minister in the Koirala government.

But the Panchayat system faced opposition from the banned political parties, and in a People's movement of 1990, the multi-party polity was restored. The government that followed was led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. The ministers were chosen from among the left parties like Sahana Pradhan who had launched the movement with the NC. There were also ministers who were supporters of the Panchayat democracy like Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi and Achyut Prasad Regmi. It prepared a new constitution, and a popular government was formed through a national election.

The multi-party polity also faced stiff opposition from the Maoists who launched a nationwide insurgency. In the meantime, Gyanendra became the king after the murder of then King Birendra and his entire family. Though Gyanendra entered as a constitutional monarch, he tried to reinstate the absolute monarchy in the country by putting multi-party politicians behind bars.

A comprehensive peace accord was signed between the Maoists and the Nepali government. The Parliament was restored, and Girija Prasad Koirala formed an interim parliament by injecting 83 Maoists into the 329-member legislature. The objective of the Parliament was to conduct the election of the Constituent Assembly based on an interim constitution. The elected Constituent Assembly turned Nepal into a Federal Republic, leading to the exit of the 240-year-old kingship due to the over ambitious King Gyanendra. We can see that the victor and the vanquished both worked together after all the aforementioned four political movements.

This republican system also faced opposition from the Gen Z movement after it became overly corrupt. Prime Minister K P Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had to resign, while former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Minister of Foreign Affairs Arzoo Deuba were beaten badly by Gen Z-guised infiltrators. They also set fire to several public and private buildings, including those of politicians of the ruling party coalition. An eight-member interim government was formed with Sushila Karki, a former Supreme Court Chief Justice, as the Prime Minister and seven ministers.

At the present juncture, three political stands have been made by differing political parties. The UML has thrown its hat for the restoration of the Parliament because it thinks that the election cannot be held as announced in March. The NC wants to go for the election, failing which they want the reinstatement of the Parliament. The Rastriya Swatantra Party has hinted at participating in the election. The Gen Zees want to conduct the election on the scheduled date and see the establishment of an executive prime minister and chief ministers. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party wants the King to enter the political scene as a constitutional monarch.

Had Girija Prasad Koirala been alive today, he would have facilitated a list of Gen Zees from all the 165 constituencies of Nepal. He would have then restored the Parliament and injected probably 330 Gen Zees with two from each of the constituencies and 10 other prominent persons in the Parliament, bringing the total to 615 members from the existing being 275. The Gen Zees would enjoy a majority, which they deserve because of their eye-opening sacrifices. It would enable them to make routine decisions and make it easier to hold the election. The parties would have to support it wholeheartedly because of their corrupt behaviour.

Some of the demands of the Gen Zee, like the provision of an executive prime minister, restoration of the Hindu state with or without the king, secularism, and federalism, could be decided through a referendum, which could be conducted simultaneously with the national election. Such a provision addresses the concerns of all the political forces. Prime Minister Sushila Karki should emulate late Girija Prasad Koirala and follow his time-tested approach. Such an action will receive support from all the political forces in the country, leading to a peaceful, free, and fair election.