Some Gen Z individuals who were initially part of the transition negotiations have since bowed out. For instance, Rakshya Bam, a former member of the CPN-UML’s youth wing, said she left due to the presence of unwanted infiltrators like Durga Prasai. Prasai, a disgraced businessman, has in recent years become a belligerent opponent of federalism and secularism, and has called for Nepal to return to its former status as a Hindu kingdom. Others who initially met with the army chief on 9 September, like the environmental activist Tanuja Pandey, have alleged that they were “bypassed.”
There is currently no clarity as to which Gen Z representatives besides Gurung have spoken to the army chief at any length, or as to whether they have even met or spoken to the president. All of my attempts to uncover these details were rebuffed. On Discord, too, the vast majority of participants, including the moderators, are anonymous. Repeated entreaties from Discord members and social media users to reveal the names of all those involved in direct negotiations have gone unheeded. Either the movement is truly decentralised, with no one besides Gurung playing a decisive public role, or everything is being deliberately hidden. Time may tell which.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Army has been on the streets since Tuesday night and has not withdrawn. There is a persistent fear in civilian democracies that once an army exits its barracks, it is very difficult to get it to go back. This fear led to rumours that the army was holding political leaders, including the president, under house arrest, which led to demands that Poudel appear in public and address the nation. On Thursday night, rumours swelled that the army was going to mount a coup, or reinstate the king, or both. Nepalis woke up on Friday morning relieved, and still free citizens.
