Democratic reform

Democratic reform
Main|Democracy movement in Nepal
Popular dissatisfaction against the family rule of the Ranas had started emerging from among the few educated people, who had studied in various Indian schools and colleges, and also from within the Ranas, many of whom were marginalised within the ruling Rana hierarchy. Many of these Nepalese in exile had actively taken part in the Indian Independence struggle and wanted to liberate Nepal as well from the internal autocratic Rana occupation. The political parties such as ''The Prajaparishad'' and ''[[Nepali Congress]]'' were already formed in exile by leaders such as B. P. Koirala, Ganesh Man Singh,  Subarna Sumsher Rana, [[Krishna Prasad Bhattarai]], [[Girija Prasad Koirala]], and many other patriotic-minded Nepalis who urged the military and popular political movement in Nepal to overthrow the autocratic Rana Regime. Among the prominent martyrs to die for the cause, executed at the hands of the Ranas, were Dharma Bhakta Mathema, Shukraraj Shastri, Gangalal Shrestha, and Dasharath Chand. This turmoil culminated in [[Tribhuvan of Nepal|King Tribhuvan]], a direct descendant of Prithvi Narayan Shah, fleeing from his "palace prison" in 1950, to newly independent India, touching off an armed revolt against the Rana administration. This eventually ended in the return of the Shah family to power and the appointment of a non-Rana as prime minister. A period of quasi-constitutional rule followed, during which the monarch, assisted by the leaders of fledgling political parties, governed the country. During the 1950s, efforts were made to frame a constitution for Nepal that would establish a representative form of government, based on a British model.

In early 1959, Tribhuvan's son [[Mahendra of Nepal|King Mahendra]] issued a '''new constitution''', and the first '''democratic elections''' for a national assembly were held. The [[Nepali Congress Party]], a moderate socialist group, gained a substantial victory in the election. Its leader, [[Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala]], formed a government and served as prime minister. After years of