Kathmandu in Revolt: Demands for Interim Government Amid Widespread Violence

Kathmandu has descended into turmoil. The Parliament has been burnt, the Supreme Court torched, and the President’s residence set ablaze. Even the home of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has not been spared. What began as street protests has now escalated into a full-scale revolt, with demonstrators—driven largely by Gen Z anger—demanding nothing less than an interim government.

“This is not about patchwork reforms,” one government source in Kathmandu told News18. “A section among the protesters now wants a civilian-led collective or an interim administration headed by a former chief justice to steer the country. Oli’s government has lost credibility.”

For many geopolitical experts, the parallels with Bangladesh are striking. Street fury in Dhaka brought down a civilian regime in days, paving the way for a judiciary-military transition. Nepal, they warn, may now be standing at a similar crossroads.

The establishment remains divided. One faction believes an interim arrangement is unavoidable, while the ruling camp insists on a structured dialogue with protesters, cautioning that surrendering to street pressure risks legitimising mob politics. But the demonstrators remain unmoved.

A senior bureaucrat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the movement has fractured into competing demands. “Some protesters want an interim government inclusive of civilians, Gen Z representatives, political leaders, and possibly led by a former chief justice or army chief. They want elections within six months. This looks like the Bangladesh model to us.”

Others, however, stress the need for dialogue. “As violence escalated, the movement turned leaderless,” the official explained. “A team of senior representatives from the army, government, civil society, and political parties is attempting to engage with protesters.” While the Nepal Army has been consulted, it has so far adopted a cautious stance. Yet, insiders suggest that the idea of a former chief justice leading an interim administration has gained significant traction as a symbol of neutrality in a deeply compromised political landscape.

Gopal Khanal, senior geopolitical commentator and former media adviser to ex-PM Oli, told News18: “There should be scope to initiate a dialogue between representatives of the government, the army, civil society, and the protesters. Whoever controls the interim arrangement will determine Nepal’s trajectory.”

For protesters, the demand for an interim government is not a stopgap but the first step toward a new political order. The stakes extend beyond Nepal’s borders: India, already recalibrating after Sheikh Hasina’s fall in Bangladesh, is wary of another neighbour sliding into instability.

What is clear is that the flames consuming Kathmandu have already delivered their verdict. The old order is finished. The demand for an interim government is no longer just a slogan—it is now the only roadmap the streets appear willing to accept.