Rita Mae Brown described insanity as "doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results." In Nepal's context, we witnessed this pattern repeatedly over the years. The same parties made unrealistic promises to win a few seats in parliament. Then, they formed coalitions, not for stability, but to achieve the ⅔ supermajority so they could form a government that favored their personal agendas. Constituents accepted their fate, openly subscribing to the "Sati le saraapeko desh" tag. Nepalese around the world had felt hopeless, associating the word "dirty" with politics since nothing seemed to be changing on the political stage. Local governments were reaping the benefits of our corrupt system, whereas the federal government was drowning itself deeper in corruption. Checks and balances were mere words written in the constitution, and their true definition had lost its meaning.

This election was not sudden. It was 18 years in the making. 18 years of constant lies and deceit. This election was a result of exhaustion that we all experienced. The "blue wave," the rise of RSP, wasn't accidental. It was the people deciding they were done catering to the lavish needs of our corrupt politicians. There was political anarchy, where our leaders were constantly ignoring the very laws that they set in place. Our country had been functioning under a geriatric system. Leaders who had been dominating our main political parties for decades thought a free 10GB/month data plan would properly address the youth's sentiment.

The connection that leaders and their people should have, for a functioning government, had been severed for a long time. A government can't run if leaders are unwilling to understand the daily struggles and woes of their people. Our leaders were so focused on taking from Nepal and the Nepali people that they had lost sight of true leadership.

It is important for everyone in a position of power to understand that leadership is a thankless job. Politicians have the responsibility of encouraging civic duty, promoting culture and tradition, while ensuring that everyone under their leadership is law-abiding. Everyone should be subjected to the same laws and policies. The legislation is meant to create and review laws. Laws were being created, but no one ensured their execution. The hypocrisy of our leaders was astounding. Leaders and senior members of our government were constantly showing up in numerous corruption files, but no action was taken. Once known as the Land of Gurkhas, Nepal was now a nation increasingly tolerant of corruption.

Therefore, constant lies, corruption, and ignorance led to the historic win of a new party. This win is sparking the hope that the Nepali people had lost. However, this win isn't without its challenges. RSP and our current bureaucratic system have a long road ahead of them. The newly elected representatives have the hopes of millions of Nepali people. Their win has solidified Nepal's stance on democracy while also revealing the cracks in our current system. The 2082 B.S. election made it clear that the previous government's blatant disregard for the established system was not the democracy that the people had wanted. Democracy's essence is to see society the way the majority of people see it. Parties with democratic values shouldn't condone a lifestyle superior to that of the working class. Leaders who are democratic don't have stacks of money hidden in secret bunkers of their residences that they later claim to be AI-generated. The people's hopelessness and the weaknesses of the system in place made it easier for politicians to deceive and steal from the people.

Yet the leaders aren't the only ones we should hold accountable. We, the people, are also responsible for the ruin of democracy that we had fought so hard to build. It was our capitulation, our ignorance, and lack of responsibility as law-abiding citizens to raise awareness on this issue. Leaders ruined OUR system, the very system that we put in place, and we let them. People left home to work abroad and eventually settled there, and we watched. We didn't challenge the system or the government. Instead, we followed. Our relatives followed. Then, we waited for the leaders to visit foreign states, and we stood at the airport, with garlands in our hands, waiting to welcome them in the very place that they had driven us to. We wrote tweets and statuses, reflecting our frustration on social media, tagging the leaders, but when the time came to truly make a change, by not showing up, we offered to drive the leaders around, giving them the kind of respect they had done nothing to deserve. We voted for the same leaders, defending them, even through political stagnation. We gave in. Sure, the leaders started the ruin, but we were the catalysts.

Now, the new generation has enabled this change. But we should remain skeptical. The current government seems more competent than the last, with clear and achievable goals. However, we need to learn from our mistakes. Leaders will always whisper sweet nothings in our ears. Now, we need to learn to filter it out. We must not forget that Nepal has seen numerous waves of change in the last 50 years, with the country still struggling to stand on its own. Voting is a fundamental right of citizens, and this election has made it abundantly clear the kind of power the people yield. We must remember our power, and we must commit to demanding change and answers from our leaders from now on. We shouldn't be cavalier about the state of the government, and must be informed about the agendas and policies the government is trying to implement. We should raise our voice, constantly question our leaders, and demand accountability for the deaths of the 77 people that we lost, and for all the people that have suffered at the hands of our previous governments. More importantly, we must remember that our ancestors stood tall when they were attacked by the strongest military in the world. Therefore, we must not bow down to the very people that we voted for.