Business Leaders See Mixed Results in Federal Elections as New Faces Emerge in Parliament

Many business figures were elected in the House of Representatives elections held on Falgun 21. The results of the parliamentary elections show a strong presence of businesspeople in the parliament. Especially those established in the tourism, hydropower, trade, and transport sectors have secured impressive victories in the direct elections to make their way to parliament.

The entry of industrialists and businesspeople into active politics during election time is not new in Nepali politics. For a long time, there has been a tradition of increasing affiliation with various parties during elections and entering parliament through both first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems.

The trend seen in the elections held on Falgun 21 is also visible this time. Businesspeople's names were placed on the proportional representation list before the election. This time, industrialists and businesspeople from large 'corporate' houses were in the electoral arena. However, it is the businesspeople who have done ordinary business, rather than those from large corporate houses, who have won the election and secured their journey to parliament. Voters have also trusted them with their votes. But, this time, large business families and famous businesspeople failed to win the hearts of the voters.

Voters did not trust Vinod Chaudhary, Nepal's only dollar billionaire industrialist, who was a candidate for the Nepali Congress from Nawalparasi Bardaghat Susta West Constituency No. 1. He was elected from the same constituency in the previous election.

He lost by a margin of 35,000 votes. He was defeated by Swatantra Party's (RSP) Bikram Khanal. RSP's Khanal received 45,241 votes, while Chaudhary received only 9,502 votes. Many famous businesspeople, including Chaudhary, who contested the election from Congress, UML, CPN, and Madhesi parties, among others, have faced defeat. However, new faces of businesspeople from RSP have won.

Impressive Victory for Tourism and Hydropower Entrepreneurs

RSP candidate and tourism entrepreneur Sridhar Pokhrel was elected from Bardiya Constituency No. 2. He won in his first attempt at parliamentary elections, securing 29,678 votes. Congress's Kishor Singh Rathore was limited to 20,402 votes.

Pokhrel, active in the tourism business for 25 years, is a senior nature guide at Bardiya National Park, and he operates his own resort in Thakurdwara. He is committed to completing unfinished work by reforming policies.

Similarly, 41-year-old Surya Bahadur Tamang, a tourism entrepreneur from Marjethpur, Katari Municipality-7, Udayapur, was also elected from Udayapur-2 from RSP. Elected with 14,802 votes, he defeated UML's Ambar Bahadur Rayamajhi by double the votes. He entered the electoral field saying that development is not possible with old parties.

Likewise, RSP candidate Bharat Prasad Parajuli from Sindhupalchok Constituency No. 1 entered parliament with the identity of a hydropower entrepreneur. He is also the chairman of the under-construction Brahmayani Hydropower Project with a capacity of 45 MW. Parajuli defeated his closest rival Madhav Sapkota of the Communist Party of Nepal by securing 24,412 votes.

Similarly, Jhavilal Dumre, who is active in his own trade and business, has also achieved success in his first attempt. Dumre, who contested from RSP in Syangja Constituency No. 2, won by securing 25,354 votes. He left Bhagwat Prakash Malla of Congress behind by 4,524 votes.

Interesting Coincidence of Transport Entrepreneurs

The victory of two transport entrepreneurs in the Surkhet election has created an interesting coincidence. Bishnu Bahadur Khadka of the Nepali Congress won with 26,897 votes from Surkhet-1, and Ramesh Kumar Sapkot of RSP won with 30,842 votes from Surkhet-2. Both residents of Birendranagar Municipality-7 Itram, the distance between their houses is only two hundred meters. Khadka is the chairman of Madhyapaschim Transport Entrepreneurs Committee Pvt. Ltd., and Sapkot is the chairman of Kankre Bihar Transport Pvt. Ltd.

These two entrepreneurs, who were in the same party (Congress) until a year and a half ago, successfully entered parliament from Karnali this time by contesting elections from different parties.

Showdown Between Business Brother in Dolpa, Elder Brother Wins

Dolpa's election this time was interesting due to the contest between brothers from the same household. They are construction entrepreneurs. He was previously elected from the same constituency in 2070, 2074, and 2079 BS. Karna Bahadur Buda is his full brother. He is also a businessperson.

In this election, Dhan Bahadur competed against his own full brother and Congress candidate Karna Bahadur Buda. In this contest, Karna Bahadur finished in third place. The younger brother was elected, defeating his elder brother. Dhan Bahadur Buda, the candidate of the Communist Party of Nepal, was elected from the Himalayan district of Dolpa. He defeated UML's Lank Bahadur Rokaya by securing 6,802 votes.

Similarly, Tek Bahadur Shakya, elected from Parsa-4 from RSP, is also a businessperson. This is the 50-year-old Shakya's first parliamentary journey. Shakya received 28,006 votes. His closest rival, veteran Congress leader Ramesh Rijal, received 12,534 votes. Shakya defeated Rijal by a margin of 15,472 votes. He is also the founding general secretary of the Nepal National Business Federation.

Likewise, RSP candidate Badan Bhandari from Kavrepalanchok-2 is also a businessperson. He entered parliament by defeating Congress candidate Madhu Acharya by 35,476 votes. He is also the founding deputy general secretary of the Nepal National Business Federation. Furthermore, former Labor Minister DP Aryal and former Minister of State for Labor Tek Bahadur Gurung have also won.

RSP Vice Chairman Aryal was elected from Kathmandu-9. He won with 35,093 votes, while Nepali Congress's Nanu Maiya Bastola received 5,460 votes. Former Minister of State for Labor and businessperson Tek Bahadur Gurung won from Manang.

Congress candidate Gurung won with 2,415 votes, while his closest competitor Yashoda Subedi Gurung of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) received 454 votes. Hari Dhakal, Ganesh Parajuli, Arvind Sah, co-founder and director of Khalti Digital Wallet, Nitima Bhandari, medical entrepreneur Rahbar Ansari, and others are also from a business background. They have also entered the upcoming parliament.

Famous and Established Businesspeople Faced Defeat

While businesspeople from new parties and new faces secured tickets and won in parliament, some famous, large-house, and established businesspeople in the country faced defeat in this election. Voters rejected some established traders and construction entrepreneurs from old parties. Even Nepal's only dollar billionaire industrialist Chaudhary faced defeat.

Similarly, Congress candidate and tourism entrepreneur Ramesh Prasad Dhamala was defeated in Dhading Constituency No. 2. He is also the former president of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN). He was defeated by RSP's Bodh Narayan Shrestha, who entered the election for the first time. Shrestha was elected with 26,143 votes, while Dhamala received 20,277 votes.

Likewise, Chunna Prasad Sharma Poudel, chairman of Yashoda Foods and candidate from Congress in Rupandehi Constituency No. 2, was a candidate. He, who is also the chairman of Sona Packaging and Hotel Saffron, was defeated by RSP candidate Sulabh Kharel. Kharel was elected with 56,550 votes, while Poudel received only 9,392 votes.

Similarly, Congress candidate industrialist Anil Kumar Rungta from Parsa Constituency No.-1 was also defeated. He is the director of Jagadamba Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Likewise, businessperson Birendra Prasad Kanoudia, who left Congress and joined UML in Kapilvastu Constituency No. 3, was also defeated. He is also the chairman of Lumbini Sugar Mills. Kanoudia was defeated by Congress's Abhishek Pratap Shah in Kapilvastu-3.

Congress had fielded former president of the Nepal Cardamom Entrepreneurs Association, Rajendra Ghimire, as a candidate in Jhapa Constituency No. 3. He was also defeated by RSP candidate Prakash Pathak. He received 8,119 votes, while Pathak received 38,674 votes.

Customs agent and businessperson Keshav Pandey faced defeat. Businessperson Bhuwan Shrestha in Gulmi-2, businessperson Umashankar Argaria in Dhanusha-2, and industrialist Dilip Agrawal in Morang-2 were defeated. Manpower businessperson LP Saw Limbu in Jhapa-4, former banker Min Bahadur Gurung in Syangja-1, businessperson Chhopang Gurung in Manang, and businessperson Manoj Agrawal in Morang-5 failed in the election this time.

Industryist Kisan Shrestha in Bara-4, businessperson Dr. Birendra Prasad Mahato in Siraha-4, energy entrepreneur Parbat Gurung in Dolakha, former banker Jhapet Bohara in Achham-1, and timber entrepreneur Prem Bahadur Ale in Kailali-5 were defeated.

Similarly, tourism entrepreneur and former member of the Tourism Board Krishna Rijal was defeated from Dhading Constituency No. 1. Suman Sayami was also defeated. He was the candidate for Kathmandu-8 from the Communist Party of Nepal (UML). He is the operator of 'Sweet Cave,' one of Nepal's oldest sweet shops in Kalimati. He was defeated by RSP's Birajbhakta Shrestha.

Likewise, Asim Man Singh Basnyat, operator of the ride-sharing app Pathao, was defeated from Kathmandu Constituency No. 1. Similarly, Congress candidate and Chairman of the Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, Vijay Bahadur Swar, was defeated by RSP's KP Khanal in Kailali-2.

Energy and medical entrepreneur Dr. Sunil Kumar Sharma was defeated in Morang-3. Former chairman of Muktinath Bikas Bank and Muktinath Krishi Company, Bharat Raj Dhakal, was defeated in Syangja-1. Similarly, real estate entrepreneur Prem Bahadur Khatri was defeated in Gorkha-1. Manpower entrepreneur Tilak Ranabhat was also defeated.