The debate of the forthcoming election appears to be revolving around the antagonism between the old and new political parties. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in particular has claimed to own a new political outlook by virtue of assimilating the essence of the Gen Z movement and hence becoming worthy of people's overwhelming support in the forthcoming election. It has further opined that the old parties, like the Nepali Congress (NC), the Unified Marxist-Leninist, (UML) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) no longer deserve the people's franchise on account of their dismal performance in the last three decades and a half. However, the parties have hit back by saying that the so-called new parties are devoid of any vision for the country's development. The RPP has also joined the chorus with the RSP by portraying the NC and UML as utter failures despite getting the people's mandate turn by turn many times in the past. It has been constantly parroting about the need of. the restoration of. the monarchy in the country. But many consider it as an exercise in futility. The monarchy had been upheld above head and shoulders on several occasions, especially in its constitutional capacity in the past, but it did not maintain its decorum by tempting for absolute rule. They cite the strangling of nascent democracy by King Mahendra and the imitation of similar events by his son King Gyanendra, following which the monarchy was shown the exit by the Constituent Assembly Parliament. What is more notable is that there are several parties that assert novelty in them. The affirmation by the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) is the latest in this context. True that it has been formed by cobbling several leaders of the erstwhile Maoist Centre led by Prachanda and the Integrated Socialist Party by Madhav Nepal. But many of its supporters have been disappointed by the dumping of the Maoist Centre in particular, which had waged a People's War in which close to 17,000 people lost their valuable life. It was later deserted like rats jumping from a sinking ship. The claim of the NCP as new is thus far from convincing as it is merely old wine in a new bottle. So has the UML affirmed itself based on the recently held party's convention and the election of its leader K P Oli, the former prime minister with overwhelming majority? His competitor Ishwor Pokhrel made a tame surrender after receiving fewer votes compared to Oli. But his image has been badly tarnished by the death of 76 people in the Gen Z movement when he was the prime minister. His refusal to appear before the committee created to probe into the excesses of the Gen Z movement alleging that Sushila Karki heads an unconstitutional government has not augured very well for the UML. It is more so when his Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak promptly reported to the commission after being summoned. Moreover, Oli's dictatorial dealings followed by his customary vituperative remarks have also cast a shadow over his democratic win in the party convention. Gagan Thapa, the newly-elected president of the NC, has also maintained that his party is the most current in view of its emergence after the Special General Convention that was organised against all expectations. Even though the party appeared to head for a split, Thapa maneuvered the situation in such a manner that it earned recognition from the Election Commission. Furthermore, it also received implicit verdict from the Supreme Court in response to the petition filed by its dissenting faction. In fact, a party should have experience, which amongst others also comes out of its history. It receives energy by the injection of new innovative leaders. A fusion of both new and old leaders provides the much-needed succor to a political party. Alfred North Whitehead, a British philosopher, had emphasised on this point by writing that the art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order. The RSP has come into the political limelight in an amazingly short time. Some political observers however opine that it is not because of its innovative political outlook but because of the failure of the incumbent parties to meet the rising aspirations of the countrymen. The alleged involvement of its leader Rabi Lamicchane, not in one but several scams, has dimmed its political image. The import of Balen Shah into the RSP and his subsequent projection as the prime ministerial candidate virtually from nowhere also appeared to give the impression that it lacks leaders capable of driving the country from within its own rank and file. The claim of the UML that it will obtain a majority in the forthcoming election on the basis of its strong political organisation is not entirely illogical. However, it is running into rough weather due to its failure to change its old leadership in sharp contrast to the NC which made it happen through democratic norms within the very little time at its disposal. The NC has thus in its fold the much-desired experience because of its long history coupled by retention of old leaders as its guardian. It also injected new leaders at the helm, including its newly-elected President Gagan Thapa himself, while sweeping aside quite a few of its tainted and outdated leaders. So, whilst some parties are fairly new, like the RSP, or completely old such as the UML and NCP, the NC is a blend of both. It is no wonder then that it is generating political waves not only to become the largest political party but also to register a probable win in the forthcoming election.