Kathmandu, April 1 -- Even after a bruising electoral defeat and mounting public frustration, Nepal's traditional political parties show little sign of change.

As a new government led by Balendra Shah begins to push ambitious reform agendas, leaders of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML-the old guards-remain entangled in factional disputes and leader-centric politics, raising questions about whether they have learned anything even after they were routed in the March 5 polls.

The Congress, which remains divided following the special convention that elected Gagan Thapa as party president, has lately been increasingly preoccupied with factional activities.

On Saturday, the Shah administration detained KP Sharma Oli, chair of the CPN-UML,...