Business, medicine, media, and film were all represented by actors Rajesh Hamal and Haribansha Acharya, journalist Prem Baniya, and gynecologist Bhola Rijal.[break]
One of the members of the group and Mega Bank CEO Anil Shah told Republica the group aims to give a voice to Nepal´s obscured “collective consciousness” and the "silent minority".
He said setting up a political party “would be myopic”, and that instead Prosperous Nepal hopes to act like a lobby group.
The group is encouraging “everyday” Nepali people to voice their concerns and opinions, using a range of tools like social media, polls, debate, and outreach campaigns. “What we´re trying to do is much harder and long-term than a political party. We are trying to get people´s views together,” said Shah.
The group launched a music video, Sabai le te Desh bata, at the Indreni Complex on Thursday, which features Baniya, Hamal, Acharya, and prominent lawyer Bhimarjun Acharya.
Acharya will front Prosperous Nepal´s first major debate on the question of federalism: a covenant he has said in the past will lead to “a bloodbath”.
Businessman Kush Kumar Joshi told Republica the group will stay neutral on all issues, however, a decision on federalism is needed “to avoid deadlock”.
When asked how Prosperous Nepal will voice the concerns of the marginalized, Joshi said “everybody has their own voice”.
Rajesh Hamal told Republica he hopes the campaign will “direct the voice” of Nepali people instead of allowing them to be dependent on political parties.
"We have waited too long for the political parties and politicians to find a way out for us. I think they have miserably failed the people´s mandate,” he said.
“We should have a people´s movement,” said Hamal, adding that he did not want to incite another revolution but instead wants to “channel” politics in a positive direction.
“The politics is the spinal cord of the country and until it is fixed the country will remain paralyzed,” said Hamal.
Both Hamal and Mega Bank´s Anil Shah told Republica they would consider a move into the political arena in the future.
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