Deep Dive: Gagan Thapa Assumes Leadership of Nepal's Oldest Party Amid National Crisis

Nepal, a landlocked Himalayan nation sandwiched between India and China, has endured chronic political volatility since the end of its monarchy in 2008 and the adoption of a federal republic. This context of frequent government collapses—over a dozen prime ministers in 15 years—has fueled public disillusionment, with the current 'country on fire' referring to widespread protests, economic stagnation, and governance paralysis. Gagan Thapa (Nepali Congress leader), representing the oldest party (Nepali Congress, founded 1947), emerges as a key actor whose three-decade persistence positions him to stabilize this chaos. His strategic interest lies in revitalizing the party's reformist legacy amid competition from communist rivals. From a geopolitical lens, Thapa's leadership tests Nepal's delicate balance in the Indo-China rivalry, where infrastructure deals and border disputes amplify internal instability. As International Affairs Correspondent, cross-border remittances from 3 million Nepali migrants in Gulf states and India sustain 25% of GDP, but political fire risks migrant backlash and aid disruptions from donors like the US and EU. Regionally, Nepal's Terai lowlands and hill ethnic divides underpin why patience like Thapa's matters—cultural patronage networks have long eroded institutional trust, making experienced reformers vital against populist upstarts. Implications ripple beyond: India's neighborhood policy favors stable Nepal to counter China, while Beijing eyes hydropower leverage. Thapa's success could model democratic renewal in South Asia, affecting 30 million Nepalis' access to services and 1.5 million annual Indian tourists. Failure risks authoritarian drift, migrant exodus spikes, and refugee flows to India. Outlook hinges on Thapa proving experience trumps novelty in a youth-bulging populace weary of upheaval.