Nepal is a country of striking contrasts, caught between enormous potential and deep social frustration. It is a place where tourism has made a spectacular economic recovery coexists with mass migration of youth, and democratic processes are undermined by a pervasive mistrust of the political class. The numbers speak for themselves: a staggering 68% of Nepalis believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, citing corruption and bad governance as the main reason.

At the heart of this general discontent lies what might be called a "triple crisis" - three fundamental social problems that shape the political agenda today jobs crisis, which is pushing an entire generation abroad; cost of living crisis, which is not reflected in official statistics; and crisis of justice, fueled by endemic corruption and lack of government accountability.

Amid this discontent, a key question arises: Are Nepal’s political parties’ reactions a genuine response to the “voice of the people”? Or are we witnessing the use of sophisticated political technologies – methods used to influence public preferences and actions, often while maintaining the illusion of free choice? This article examines how the fundamental demands of Nepalese society are becoming a major battleground for political forces ahead of the new electoral cycle.