Four ministers appointed to hold elections enter poll race

KATHMANDU, Jan 20: Four ministers from the interim government formed after the Gen Z movement have entered the electoral fray, stepping down from their posts as the election date draws closer.

The ministers, who had joined the interim government with a stated commitment to conduct elections, have now resigned and filed their candidacies—either under party banners or as independents—marking a clear shift from caretaker roles to active political contestation.

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Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Kulman Ghising has embraced parliamentary politics by launching a new party, Ujyalo Party Nepal. At the party’s inauguration, Ghising had said he was not affiliated with any political party but was open to participating as a guest if invited. However, although the Ujyalo Party Nepal later announced a unity with the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the alliance collapsed within just 12 days due to disagreements over power-sharing. Ghising is now contesting from Kathmandu Constituency-3.

Similarly, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel—who had earlier declared that the interim government’s sole mandate was to conduct elections and that he would withdraw from politics afterwards—has also entered party politics. Kharel has announced plans to contest from Lalitpur Constituency-2. While there is speculation that he will run as an RSP candidate, he has not officially confirmed his party affiliation.

Minister for Youth and Sports Bablu Gupta, who rose to prominence during the Gen Z movement, has likewise resigned and joined the electoral race. Gupta is contesting from Siraha Constituency-1 as an RSP candidate.

Likewise, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Mahabir Pun filed his candidacy at the last moment. Pun, who had long maintained that he would focus on work at his innovation center, recently remarked that he decided to contest the election on impulse. He has registered his candidacy from Myagdi as an independent.