Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A deeper message: On Nepal elections

A deeper message: On Nepal elections

The unexpected performance of newcomers in Nepal’s elections is a call for change

At face value, the outcome (नतीजा, परिणाम) of Nepal’s general election was, expectedly, favourable to the ruling five-party alliance of the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist-Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist), Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal and Rastriya Janamorcha, which has won or established a lead in at least 87 of the 165 seats in the FPTP system and is tipped (predict, expect, recommend) to win close to half of the 110 proportional representation (आनुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व) seats. The coming together (एक साथ आना) of the alliance (संधि, गठबंधन) is what helped it overcome the opposition coalition led by the K.P. Oli-helmed Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) — it won or leads in 49 seats in the FPTP system while the UML is leading as the single largest party in terms of (के संबंध में, के अनुसार) PR votes. But the mandate (जनादेश, अनुमोदन, सहमति) shows that the long-standing (दीर्घकालिक, लगातार, जारी) mainstream (मुख्यधारा, स्थापित, मान्यता प्राप्त) parties now have challengers — the largely urban-based newcomer Rashtriya Swatantra Party has a lead in or won eight seats while emerging as the third largest party in vote terms and also get a sizeable (काफ़ी बड़ा) number of PR seats in the House of Representatives (प्रतिनिधि सभा, लोक - सभा). Led by a former television personality (व्यक्तित्व), Rabi Lamichhane, the RSP has vague (अस्पष्ट, अनिश्चित) ideological (विचारधारा, सैद्धांतिक) views but a clear position against federalism, seeking (try, aim, attempt) to dissolve (भंग करना, बर्खास्त करना) the provincial (regional, territorial) assemblies that were set up (create, establish, initiate) under the federalist (relating to a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government) constitution (body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles, charter). Its performance points to the inability (incapability, incapacity, powerlessness, impotence, helplessness) of mainstream parties to ensure stability (steadiness, firmness, solidity, secureness, strength) or effect (bring about, carry out, case to happen) policies to lift the living standards of Nepalis in a country that sees much youth out-migration (permanent migration in order to settle elsewhere).

The election results have also been a blow (shock, surprise; setback/misfortune) to the Maoists (a follower of Maoism (it originated in China as a form of communist theory derived from the teachings of Chinese political leader Mao Zedong)) and the Madhesi (people who live in the flat southern region of Nepal (the Terai plains) which is also called Madhesh) parties, which played a crucial role in the federalisation (the act of being put under a federal system) of republican ((in the US) a member or supporter of the Republican Party (also referred to as the GOP); conservative, right winger) Nepal. Their legacy (something received from a predecessor or from the past) in constitution-building (it refers to processes for negotiating, drafting and implementing constitutions) did not help them overcome the fact that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) voters were tired of (bored with or annoyed/irritated/upset by) their opportunist (a person who is selfish, self-centred, self-seeking, egocentric) political stances (attitude, approach, opinion, point of view). While there is no threat to republicanism (the political ideology of being a citizen in a state as a republic under which the people hold popular sovereignty) or secularism in Nepal, a more comprehensive (all-inclusive, broad-based; all-embracing, complete, thorough) federal (relating to a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government) agenda (plan, scheme) will have to ensure that provinces (territory, region, district, area) are sufficiently empowered or else the enthusiasm (eagerness, keenness, excitement, willingness, readiness, commitment) for federalism will wane (disappear, decline, decrease, diminish, fail, fade (away)) further. The winning Nepali Congress will also have to look deeper into its electoral results which has been buoyed by the performance of its youth candidates. Led by veterans ((long-serving) expert, seasoned, mature, established/experienced (person in an area of activity)), the party must consider letting a younger leader (Gagan Thapa) take over (assume control of, take control of, take charge of, assume responsibility for, be elevated to). Unlike other south Asian democracies, Nepal’s elections were marked (characterize, distinguish, identify; represent, signify, indicate, demonstrate) by the absence, largely (mostly, mainly, generally), of calls for voting on religious/sectarian (factional, partisan, dogmatic, fanatical, bigoted, narrow-minded) basis, and delivered results true to the country’s political diversity (existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group; variety, variance, difference). Yet, a beleaguered (hard-pressed, troubled, suffering; under pressure, under stress) Nepali citizenry (all the people/citizens (of a place/country considered as a whole)) that has waited for decades (a period of ten years) for democracy to unleash (let loose, release, let something go freely/uncontrollably) better developmental outcomes deserves change: it is now up to (the responsibility/choice of (someone)) the parties to provide that.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.message (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संदेश, बिंदु, अर्थ
English Meaning - point, meaning.

2.outcome (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नतीजा, परिणाम
English Meaning - result, consequence, conclusion.

3.proportional representation (PR) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आनुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व
English Meaning - this refers to an electoral system in which the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of the total votes cast for each party. This is a more complicated but representative system than the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, which is used in India. If a party gets 40% of the total votes, for example, a perfectly proportional system would allow it to get 40% of the seats. Some countries used a combination of the proportional representation system and the FPTP system.

4.the coming together (noun)

Hindi Meaning - एक साथ आना
English Meaning - congregation, assemblage, get-together, the joining together;

5.alliance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संधि, गठबंधन
English Meaning - coalition, union, partnership.

6.in terms of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के संबंध में, के अनुसार
English Meaning - with regard to, regarding, concerning, in respect of, with reference to.

7.mandate (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनादेश, अनुमोदन, सहमति
English Meaning - approval, agreement, assent, concurrence.

8.long-standing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दीर्घकालिक, लगातार, जारी
English Meaning - persistent, continuing (for a long time); permanent, long-lasting, enduring, long-term.

9.mainstream (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मुख्यधारा, स्थापित, मान्यता प्राप्त
English Meaning - accepted, established, recognized, prevailing, popular.

10.sizeable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - काफ़ी बड़ा
English Meaning - considerable, substantial, large, significant.

11.House of Representatives (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिनिधि सभा, लोक - सभा
English Meaning - The House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) is the one of the houses of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, with the other house being the National Assembly (Rastriya Sabha).

12.personality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - व्यक्तित्व
English Meaning - celebrity.

13.vague (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अस्पष्ट, अनिश्चित
English Meaning - imprecise, inexact, unclear/uncertain.

14.ideological (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विचारधारा, सैद्धांतिक
English Meaning - relating to a system of ideas (ideology).

15.dissolve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - भंग करना, बर्खास्त करना
English Meaning - disband, disestablish, dismiss; annul, nullify.

16.deeper comparative adjective of deep (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, serious.

17.call (noun)

English Meaning - appeal, request, necessity, demand.

18.take something at face value (phrase)

English Meaning - to accept or believe something as someone says without thinking whether it is true or not.

19.first-past-the-post (FPTP) system (phrase)

English Meaning - it is an electoral system in which a candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins and becomes the MP/MLA for that seat.

20.tip (verb)

English Meaning - predict, expect, recommend.

21.overcome (verb)

English Meaning - defeat, beat, vanquish, conquer, rout.

22.at the helm (phrase)

English Meaning - in charge, in command/control/authority; in the driving seat.

23.helm (noun)

English Meaning - in charge, in command, in authority, position, head, lead, manage, control.

24.federalism/federal framework/system (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

25.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

26.provincial (adjective)

English Meaning - regional, territorial.

27.set up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - create, establish, initiate.

28.federalist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

29.constitution (noun)

English Meaning - body of law; system of rules; regulations, fundamental principles, charter.

30.point to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - indicate, suggest, signal, signify, denote, reveal.

31.inability (noun)

English Meaning - incapability, incapacity, powerlessness, impotence, helplessness.

32.stability (noun)

English Meaning - steadiness, firmness, solidity, secureness, strength.

33.effect (verb)

English Meaning - bring about, carry out, case to happen.

34.lift (verb)

English Meaning - improve.

35.out-migration (noun)

English Meaning - permanent migration in order to settle elsewhere.

36.blow (noun)

English Meaning - shock, surprise; setback/misfortune.

37.Maoist (noun)

English Meaning - a follower of Maoism (it originated in China as a form of communist theory derived from the teachings of Chinese political leader Mao Zedong).

38.Madhesis (noun)

English Meaning - people who live in the flat southern region of Nepal (the Terai plains) which is also called Madhesh.

39.play a role (phrase)

English Meaning - contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

40.federalisation (noun)

English Meaning - the act of being put under a federal system.

41.Republican (noun)

English Meaning - (in the US) a member or supporter of the Republican Party (also referred to as the GOP); conservative, right winger.

42.legacy (noun)

English Meaning - something received from a predecessor or from the past.

43.constitution-building (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to processes for negotiating, drafting and implementing constitutions.

44.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

45.tired of phrase)

English Meaning - bored with or annoyed/irritated/upset by.

46.opportunist (noun)

English Meaning - a person who is selfish, self-centred, self-seeking, egocentric.

47.stance (noun)

English Meaning - attitude, approach, opinion, point of view.

48.republicanism (noun)

English Meaning - the political ideology of being a citizen in a state as a republic under which the people hold popular sovereignty.

49.secularism (noun)

English Meaning - the belief that religion should not have a strong influence in education or other public parts of society.

50.comprehensive (adjective)

English Meaning - all-inclusive, broad-based; all-embracing, complete, thorough.

51.federal (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a system of government in which establishments such as states or provinces share power with a national government.

52.agenda (noun)

English Meaning - plan, scheme.

53.province (noun)

English Meaning - territory, region, district, area.

54.empower (verb)

English Meaning - authorize, allow, entitle.

55.enthusiasm (noun)

English Meaning - eagerness, keenness, excitement, willingness, readiness, commitment.

56.wane (verb)

English Meaning - disappear, decline, decrease, diminish, fail, fade (away).

57.buoy (verb)

English Meaning - support, encourage, stimulate, boost, cheer up, strengthen, fortify, inspire, give strength to.

58.veteran (noun)

English Meaning - (long-serving) expert, seasoned, mature, established/experienced (person in an area of activity).

59.take over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - assume control of, take control of, take charge of, assume responsibility for, be elevated to.

60.mark (verb)

English Meaning - characterize, distinguish, identify; represent, signify, indicate, demonstrate.

61.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

62.sectarian (adjective)

English Meaning - factional, partisan, dogmatic, fanatical, bigoted, narrow-minded.

63.diversity (noun)

English Meaning - existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group; variety, variance, difference.

64.beleaguered (adjective)

English Meaning - hard-pressed, troubled, suffering; under pressure, under stress.

65.citizenry (noun)

English Meaning - all the people/citizens (of a place/country considered as a whole).

66.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

67.unleash (verb)

English Meaning - let loose, release, let something go freely/uncontrollably.

68.up to (phrase)

English Meaning - the responsibility/choice of (someone).