In a much delayed, but highly relevant episode*, The Nepali Outpost speaks to Dipak Gyawali about the recent elections in Nepal and why he remains pessimistic about the health of Nepal's democracy.

Dipak Gyawali shares his experiences of asking the US to arm-twist the Indians into allowing the Maoists to negotiate with the King's Government; his thoughts on the growth of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and why he calls himself a Green Democratic Socialist - a one-man party of which he is both the party chairman and the only cadre!

We speak of the need to rethink development and the importance of weighing societal rights against individual freedoms.  We also delve into why Prithivi Narayan Shah's "fulbari rashtriyata" remains relevant and why India's BJP-style Hindutva will not work in Nepal. 

Podcast recommendations: 

• Aneko ka Drishti ma Rashtra-Nirmata Prtithvi Narayan Shah - Hari Prasad Sodari 
• What's Left of the Jungle: A Conservation Story- Nitin Sekar  
• The Battle for Sanskrit: Is Sanskrit Political or Sacred, Oppressive or Liberating, Dead or Alive?- Rajiv Malhotra 

*Please note: This podcast was recorded on December 24, 2022, before Pushpa Kamal Dahal " Prachanda" was sworn in as Prime Minister on December 26, 2022.