Veteran Politicians Scramble for Seats Ahead of Upcoming House of Representatives Election

Kathmandu. Political party candidates are currently busy campaigning for the House of Representatives election scheduled for February 21. A total of 275 candidates are vying for 165 seats under the first-past-the-post system and 110 seats under the proportional representation system, deployed across their respective constituencies.

This election, interpreted as a 'referendum' between traditional parties and new alternative political forces, has become a matter of prestige for both sides.

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML were particularly targeted during the 'Genji Uprising'. The government led by the two largest parties of the dissolved parliament had to surrender to the Genji Uprising within 28 hours. The then coalition government led by KP Sharma Oli failed to protect the nation's historical heritage, commercial establishments, political party offices, and even the private property of leaders. Despite having a strong government supported by them, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and then Foreign Minister Dr. Arzoo Rana were beaten by protestors at their own residences.

The Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, which were hesitant to go to the elections under adverse circumstances, have finally entered the electoral arena. The Genji Uprising has not only shaken the state power but also upended the structure of old parties that had been strong for years.

Sher Bahadur Deuba, elected as President in the 13th and 14th General Conventions of the Nepali Congress, was not only displaced from active politics by the special general convention held in the last week of Poush but was also sidelined to the extent of not becoming a candidate in the upcoming election.

Deuba, who has been active in politics for 65 continuous years from Dadeldhura in Sudurpashchim Province, has served as Prime Minister five times. Deuba was the only politician to win all seven parliamentary elections held from 2048 to 2079 BS. He had an absolute hold in Sudurpashchim in the 2048 and 2056 elections. He is being pushed out of state power and party power in a humiliating manner, as he was preparing to hold the regular general convention in Baishakh 2083 BS and hand over leadership. Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has put a 'break' on his desire to become Prime Minister for the last time and contest from Dadeldhura.

Not only Deuba, but Thapa has also not given tickets to many close associates this time. Bijay Gachhadar, who has been continuously contesting elections since 2048 BS, is among the few lucky ones to secure a ticket. Gachhadar, who has held the responsibility of Deputy Prime Minister and important ministries multiple times in 34 years, is an evergreen candidate who has won all elections except the 2079 election. Close to Deuba, he is contesting from Sunsari-3 in the upcoming election.

Gachhadar, a shrewd player in power politics, left the Nepali Congress in 2064 BS to form the Madhesi Jan Adhikar Forum (Democratic). He rejoined the Congress in the 2074 election and was implicated in the Lalita Niwas land scam in Baluwatar.

Former Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka, close to Deuba, also did not get a ticket. Khadka, who received opportunities in party and state positions multiple times, was given the responsibility of acting president by Deuba after the Genji Uprising. He is accused of allowing the third generation to capture the party.

Khadka has been an elected Member of Parliament from Surkhet-1 since 2051 BS. He also held the status of a legislator in the interim parliament of 2063 BS.

Another influential leader close to Deuba and former Home Minister Balkrishna Khand has also been deprived of candidacy this time. Khand's politics suffered a blow after the government led by Prachanda arrested and jailed him in the fake Bhutanese refugee case.

Khand, who was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives from Rupandehi-3 back in 2048 BS, is among the leaders who received opportunities multiple times in the Congress. He was defeated in the 2079 election.

Another leader who received many opportunities in the Congress is Arjun Narsingh KC. KC, who won the National Panchayat membership from Nuwakot in 2038 BS, has participated in all elections since 2048 BS. He was defeated from Nuwakot-3 in the 2056 and 2064 elections. He is currently a candidate under the proportional representation system.

Mahantha Thakur, a leader of the Janata Samajbadi Party, is also an evergreen candidate. Having been active in Congress politics for a long time, Thakur won from Sarlahi-5 in the 2048 election. He was elected from Congress in the 2051 and 2056 elections, but later left the party, arguing that the Madhes issues were not addressed in the interim constitution. Before the first Constituent Assembly election, he formed his own party, the Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party. He won the 2063 and 2064 elections but was defeated in 2070 BS. He was elected from Mahottari-3 in the 2079 election. Recently, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly with the Congress-UML alliance.

Another leader, Sharad Singh Bhandari, has been continuously active in parliamentary politics. He was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives independently from Mahottari-4 in 2051 BS and was also elected in the 2056 and 2064 elections. After contesting from various parties, Bhandari was defeated from Mahottari-1 in 2070 BS. Elected in 2074 under the Rastriya Janata Party and in 2079 under the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, Bhandari is now a candidate from JSP Nepal in Mahottari-2. He is among those who have become ministers the most times after Bijay Gachhadar.

There are many leaders in CPN-UML who have participated in 8 parliaments in 34 years, not just in the Congress. Among them, Chairman KP Sharma Oli is an evergreen candidate. Oli, who became Home Minister in the government led by Manmohan Adhikari in 2051 BS, became Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the interim government of 2063 BS. He was defeated from Jhapa-7 in the first Constituent Assembly election held in 2064 BS.

Elected as Chairman in the 9th General Convention of CPN-UML in 2071 BS, he was re-elected in the 10th General Convention and elected Chairman for the third time in the 11th General Convention held last Mangsir. He was the Prime Minister when the Genji Uprising occurred. After widespread destruction across the country on Bhadra 24, he was taken to a safe location by a Nepal Army helicopter. Oli, who has served as Prime Minister four times, has been put forward by CPN-UML as the future Prime Minister.

CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel is also an evergreen candidate. Elected from Dang-3 in the mid-term election of 2051 BS, his streak of wins and losses continued. Pokharel was elected General Secretary in the 10th and 11th General Conventions of CPN-UML. He failed in the 2056 election under parliamentary politics. He became a proportional representation MP in 2064 BS.

Pokharel, who became the Minister of Communications in 2066 BS, was defeated in his former constituency in 2070 BS. He won the Provincial Assembly member election in 2074 BS and became the Chief Minister of Lumbini Province. In the 2079 House of Representatives election, Pokharel was defeated by Rekha Sharma, the candidate from CPN (Maoist Centre) in Dang-2. This time, he is contesting from the same constituency.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel is also an evergreen candidate. Starting his parliamentary journey from Palpa-3 in 2056 BS, he has been successful in every election. Elected as Vice Chairman in the 10th and 11th General Conventions of the party, Paudel became the General Secretary of the unified CPN formed by the merger of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) in 2074 BS. This time, he is contesting from Rupandehi-2.

Former General Secretary of CPN-UML and current Coordinator of the CPN (Unified Socialist) Madhav Kumar Nepal is contesting from Rautahat-1. Nepal, who became General Secretary after the death of then CPN-UML General Secretary Madan Kumar Bhandari in 2050 BS, remained in leadership for nearly 14 years.

Elected as a member of the National Assembly in 2048 BS, he was the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs in the cabinet led by Manmohan Adhikari in 2051 BS. Elected from Rautahat-1 in the 2056 election, Nepal was defeated in the 2064 Constituent Assembly elections from Kathmandu-2 and Rautahat-1. After the party suffered a defeat along with the main leadership, he resigned as General Secretary, but despite being defeated in two constituencies, he managed to become Prime Minister in 2066 BS.

Having won the elections in 2070, 2074, and 2079 BS, his ambition to become the CPN-UML Chairman was not fulfilled. In 2078 BS, due to a conflict with Oli, Nepal split the party and formed the CPN (Unified Socialist). On Kartik 19 this year, he united with CPN (Maoist Centre) and is entering the electoral field under the CPN (Unified Socialist). He is currently facing a case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority in the Special Court regarding policy irregularities concerning land at Patanjali Yog Peeth while he was Prime Minister.

Former Vice Chairman of CPN-UML, Dr. Bhim Bahadur Rawal, is contesting this time from Achham-1 on behalf of the CPN (Unified Socialist). A former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Rawal is an influential leader in Sudurpashchim. He started his parliamentary politics in 2051 BS. Defeated in 2056 BS, he became a proportional representation MP in 2064 BS. Elected from his former constituency in 2070 and 2074 BS, he gradually moved to the sidelines in the party after contesting against Oli for the chairmanship in the 10th General Convention of CPN-UML. In the 2079 election, despite being unanimously recommended by his former constituency, Oli did not give him a ticket, so he could not become a candidate. Last year, Oli expelled Rawal from the party. He joined the CPN (Unified Socialist) on Mangsir 11.

Former CPN-UML leader Rajendra Prasad Pandey is also an evergreen candidate in the House of Representatives election. Having been active in CPN-UML politics for a long time, Pandey has been a continuous candidate from Dhading-3 since 2048 BS. The former Chief Minister of Bagmati Province has won all elections except the one in 2064 BS. He had the opportunity to become a minister multiple times from CPN-UML. Pandey, who left CPN-UML in 2078 BS and joined the CPN (Unified Socialist), is contesting from Dhading-1 on behalf of the CPN (Unified Socialist) in the upcoming election.

Former Prime Minister and former CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal did not receive a ticket this time. Khanal, who joined the CPN (Unified Socialist) when the party split in 2078 BS, wanted to contest from Kathmandu this time. Khanal was elected from Ilam-1 in the 2048 election. He was also elected in the 2051 election. He was defeated in the 2056 election. Having participated in all elections, he was defeated in the 2079 election. Elected Chairman in the 8th General Convention of CPN-UML in 2065 BS, Khanal became Prime Minister in 2068 BS. He is currently a senior leader of the CPN (Unified Socialist).

Former Vice Chairman of CPN-UML, Bamdev Gautam, is also an evergreen candidate. A former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Gautam is currently a senior leader of the CPN (Unified Socialist). He did not get a ticket this time, despite wanting to contest from Bardiya-1. Gautam entered parliamentary politics in 2048 BS. He was defeated in 2056 and 2064 BS. He was elected in 2070 BS, and was defeated in 2074 BS even when contesting with a leftist alliance. In 2076 BS, he was nominated as a member of the National Assembly by the President. He announced he would not contest the 2079 election.

Birodh Khatiwada, who continuously won elections from CPN-UML, announced he would not be a candidate this time. He was elected in 2048, 2051, 2056, and 2063 BS. Defeated in 2064 and 2070 BS, he won in 2074 BS. In the 2079 election, he was defeated in his former constituency Makwanpur-2. 

Hridesh Tripathi, who started his political career from the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, is also an evergreen candidate. He contested the election from Nawalparasi-3 in 2048 BS and was a candidate in 2051, 2056, 2064, 2070, and 2074 BS. He was defeated in the 2079 election. Elected in 2074 using the CPN-UML election symbol, he is contesting this time from JSP Nepal.