For over a century, Nepal was not ruled by its king. Real power belonged to the Rana family, who held the position of prime minister as a hereditary dictatorship. From 1846 to 1951, the Rana regime kept the king as a figurehead while they controlled the country, isolating it from the outside world to maintain their grip.

By the mid-20th century, discontent was widespread. A new political party, the Nepali Congress, formed with the goal of establishing a democratic government. They found a crucial ally in King Tribhuvan, who sought to restore the monarchy's authority and end the Ranas' autocratic rule. This set the stage for a major political transformation.

The movement against the Ranas gained momentum in 1950. In a bold move, King Tribhuvan sought asylum in India, creating a power vacuum and sparking a popular uprising across Nepal. The armed wing of the Nepali Congress, the Liberation Army, launched attacks and successfully captured several towns.

The conflict was brief but decisive. With pressure mounting from the popular revolt and diplomatic intervention from India, the Rana government was forced to negotiate. The result was the Delhi Compromise, a tripartite agreement between the monarchy, the Ranas, and the Nepali Congress.

The transition was not simple. The Delhi Compromise established a coalition government, with cabinet positions split between the Ranas and the Nepali Congress. This power-sharing arrangement was fraught with tension from the start. The two groups had conflicting interests and deep-seated mistrust, making governance difficult.

The new government faced enormous challenges. It needed to build democratic institutions from scratch, write a new constitution, and prepare for the country's first general election. However, political infighting and instability plagued these early years. The initial cabinet lasted only a few months, and a series of short-lived governments followed, delaying the progress toward a fully functioning democracy.

Despite the rocky start, the 1951 revolution was a pivotal moment. It dismantled an entrenched autocracy and firmly set Nepal on the path to democratic governance, marking the beginning of its modern political era.