What did UML achieve from ‘Sankalpa Yatra’?

The CPN-UML has completed its 18-day long roadshow (Sankalpa Yatra) along the Mid-hill districts, which saw an active participation from its chairman, KP Sharma Oli. Starting from Jhulaghat in Baitadi district of far-western Nepal and culminating at Chiwa Bhanjyang of Panchthar district in the east, this journey weaved through 26 districts.

Over 200 central-level leaders and a sea of passionate cadres flooded the campaign trail. Oli formally ended the campaign by hoisting the national flag at Chiwa Bhanjyang—a settlement along the Nepal-India border and the eastern gateway of the Mid-Hill Highway.

On the occasion, Oli rallied the party faithful, urging them to gear up for a simple majority triumph in the 2027 elections. With the party positioned as the second-largest and best by numerous challenges, the stakes are high. “The Mid-Hill Highway will be the mainstay for the development of the mid-hill region of Nepal. We can develop Chiwa Bhanjyang as a transit point with India to gain financial benefits,” Oli declared. 

He said the main objectives of the campaign were to transform people’s pessimism into optimism, to identify the developmental gaps in the mid-hill region, to develop a national vision, and to discourage anti-constitutional forces. The UML organized the campaign at a time when people’s frustration against the major political parties is at an all-time high and anti-constitution forces are intensifying their protests in the street.

Post last year’s national elections, the UML is the only party to launch a series of strategic campaigns to boost its organizational structure. Amid resistance from pro-identity activists, who staged strikes attempting to disrupt the campaign, the UML pressed on undeterred. Even in the face of sporadic incidents, the party proudly claims the campaign as a resounding success. Since 2008, identity-based federal structure advocates have painted UML as their adversary, a legacy rooted in the party's opposition to name the provinces based on ethnicity during the constitution drafting process. The party had taken the same position during the naming of the erstwhile Province 1. In Panchthar, obstacles were strategically placed on the road by pro-identity activists, yet these impediments failed to halt the UML’s march.

After last year’s national election, the UML has been on an organizational revitalization spree, with initiatives like the Mission Grassroots, which was aimed at addressing internal issues and wooing the youth. During the latest campaign, Oli informed the public about the party’s vision and criticized the misdeeds of the Dahal-led government.

But the UML itself faces internal strife and discontent, a challenge mirrored across major political entities in Nepal. As new political forces emerge and public frustration with established parties mounts, the UML sees the Sankalpa Yatra as a chance to intimately connect with the nation and resolve its internal quandaries. Party leaders emphasize that a comprehensive review of the campaign will guide future endeavors, signaling a commitment to adapt and evolve. The UML is preparing to fight the 2027 elections without forming any alliances.

While many have dubbed the latest UML campaign “Mission 2084,” the Nepali year when national elections will take place, Oli time and again has said that the party has to be ready for the midterm elections. 

Among the major parties, the UML has the most strong and robust organizational structure at the local level. But this strength is weakening due to internal disputes and dissatisfaction. The emergence of new political forces and growing frustration against the major political parties among the masses is a wake up call for all major parties, not just the UML. 

Leader Prithvi Subba Gurung underscores the campaign’s role in reinvigorating party leaders and cadres alike. The emergence of fresh political dynamics and the growing discontent with the political establishment pose formidable challenges for parties that have dominated the national political arena since the 1990s. 

Another leader Deepak Prakash Bhatta says the campaign provided an opportunity for the leaders to see the plights of people residing in the Mid-Hill region and rebuild trust. 

As the dust settles on this grand roadshow, only time will tell whether the UML’s campaign has succeeded in sustaining the people’s trust.