Kathmandu [Nepal], February 14 (HBTV): Pro-monarchists converged on the streets of Kathmandu on Friday to welcome former King Gyanendra Shah in a show of strength ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5.
The former King was received by supporters of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and other pro-monarchy organisations, who raised slogans against the existing political system.
Sambhu Prasad Niraula, a pro-monarchist, told ANI, ‘In the current context, the attempt to hold the election and we, the pro-monarchists, hitting the street is a clash between two sides. One wants to save the nation, while the other wants to destabilise the nation further. The existing government is being meddled with by foreign hands, and we are the ones who have come to the street to save the nation, save sovereignty, and reinstate the pillar of the public, the monarchy.’
Authorities fortified the entrance of Tribhuvan International Airport, allowing only passengers with confirmed tickets to enter the premises.
Passengers, including domestic and foreign tourists, were seen carrying their luggage from distant points as pro-monarchists gathered around the airport area, disrupting traffic.
Former King Gyanendra returned to Kathmandu from Jhapa by helicopter. He had begun his tour of Madhesh from Janakpur.
As the vehicle carrying him exited the airport, supporters chanted slogans such as ‘Raja aau desh bachau’ (Come back King, save the nation) and ‘Nepali Janata k bhancha? Rajtantra ley vancha’ (What do the Nepali public say? Reinstate the monarchy).
Another pro-monarchist, Tulsi Ram Pokhrel, told ANI, ‘Today, we have gathered outside the airport to welcome His Majesty back to Kathmandu. In Nepal, the election process has been revamped. This election is the result of the hijacking of the Gen-Z protest. It is being staged on foreign intervention. As a sign of protest, we are here to show support to His Majesty.’
After exiting the airport, Gyanendra Shah stood up in his vehicle and greeted the crowd with a namaste gesture and a wave. Supporters offered flowers along a stretch of Kathmandu’s ring road.
In 2006, Nepal abolished its constitutional monarchy after Gyanendra Shah seized power and imposed an emergency, placing political leaders under house arrest. The movement, referred to as ‘People’s Movement II’, witnessed violence, with dozens killed during a government crackdown on protesters.
Following weeks of protests and international pressure, Gyanendra relinquished power and reinstated the dissolved Parliament. The transition marked the beginning of what is referred to as Lokantantra, or people’s rule.
Gyanendra Shah, who had been staying in Pokhara since February 9, returned to Kathmandu in the afternoon via a chartered aircraft, accompanied by his family.
Formed in the 1990s after the lifting of a ban on political parties under the monarchical system, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has consistently supported the monarchy. The party has participated in periodic elections while advocating for the restoration of a Hindu state and kingship.
In 2008, following the abolition of the monarchy, the RPP secured eight seats in the 575-member Constituent Assembly. In 2013, it won 13 seats. In 2017, it secured one seat, before increasing its tally to 14 seats in the 2022 election.
Nepal, with a population of 30.55 million, has a Hindu majority accounting for 81.19 per cent of the population, according to the 2022 census.
Although Gyanendra Shah is not contesting the polls, the RPP has fielded candidates for the March 5 election.
The early election was called following the Gen-Z uprising of 2025 after the dissolution of Parliament. The September 8 and 9 protests led to the removal of then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. A total of 76 people were reported killed during the crackdown by security forces.
The two-day protest, referred to as the ‘Gen-Z uprising’, began over issues including corruption and a social media ban and has since reshaped Nepal’s political landscape.
(ANI)