KATHMANDU, Jan 21: A wave of political activity swept across the country on Tuesday as candidates enthusiastically filed nominations in all 165 constituencies for the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5. According to Election Commission (EC) Spokesperson Narayan Bhattarai, a total of 2,925 candidates registered their candidacies for the 165 first-past-the-post seats.
Of the total nominees, 2,589 are men, and 336 are women. The list includes 85 persons with disabilities and 138 candidates from marginalized regions. Men make up 88 percent of the candidates, while women account for 11 percent. Bhattarai said the figures are based on preliminary data and may change as verification continues. The EC has scheduled the claims and objections process for Wednesday.
Bhattarai said nomination filing concluded peacefully across all 165 constituencies. The EC had allotted time from 10 AM to 5 PM for candidates to submit their nomination papers at the constituency election officers’ offices.
Major political parties—the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party (NCP), and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)—registered candidates in nearly all constituencies. The NC fielded candidates in all 165 constituencies, while the NCP and RSP filed nominations in 164 constituencies each. The RSP did not field a candidate in Manang, and the NCP skipped Baglung-1.
While former prime ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba (NC) and Jhala Nath Khanal (NCP) stayed out of the race, several heavyweight leaders entered the fray. Former prime ministers KP Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Baburam Bhattarai filed nominations—Oli from Jhapa-5, Dahal from Rukum East, Nepal from Rautahat-1, and Bhattarai from Gorkha-2.
Filing of nomination for NA elections starts
Top leaders of the NC, UML, NCP, RSP, and Madhesh-based parties—energized following their special conventions—filed nominations from party-designated constituencies. NC President Gagan Kumar Thapa shifted constituencies, leaving Kathmandu-4 to contest from Sarlahi-4.
In Sarlahi-4, Thapa will face Amresh Kumar Singh, a former NC leader now affiliated with the RSP. NC General Secretary Pradip Paudel filed his candidacy from Kathmandu-5, where he will take on UML leader Ishwar Pokhrel and RPP leader Kamal Thapa. NC leader Shekhar Koirala is contesting from Morang-6, facing UML’s Binod Dhakal. Former NC General Secretary Shashank Koirala did not secure a ticket this time. NC General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire is contesting from Morang-4.
The spotlight is firmly on Jhapa-5, expected to witness the fiercest contest, where UML Chair KP Sharma Oli will face the former Kathmandu mayor and senior RSP leader, Balendra Shah. Ranjit Tamang has also filed his candidacy at the constituency on behalf of the NCP.
Several UML heavyweights have also entered the race. Vice-Chairs Bishnu Paudel (Rupandehi-2), Gokarna Bista (Gulmi-2), and Prithvi Subba Gurung (Lamjung) filed nominations. General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel filed from Dang-2, while Deputy General Secretaries Lekh Raj Bhatta (Kailali-4) and Raghubir Mahaseth (Dhanusha-1) also registered their candidacies.
NCP Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal is set to contest in Rukum East, a constituency he chose in search of a safer seat. Co-Coordinator Madhav Kumar Nepal is a candidate from Rautahat-1. Party leaders Narayan Kaji Shrestha (Sarlahi-3), Bhim Rawal (Achham-1), Mahendra Ray Yadav (Sarlahi-2), and Barshaman Pun (Rolpa) also filed nominations.
From the RSP, Chair Rabi Lamichhane is competing in Chitwan-2. Earlier on Tuesday, the Parsa District Court sought Rs 10 million in bail from Lamichhane in a cooperative fraud case. He furnished the bail and filed his nomination through a proxy. RSP Vice-Chair DP Aryal filed his candidacy from Kathmandu-9, General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti from Gorkha-2, and Vice-Chair Swarnim Wagle from Tanahun-1.
Upendra Yadav, Chair of JSP-Nepal, filed from Saptari-3, while CK Raut, Chair of the Janamat Party, filed from Saptari-2. JSP-Nepal leader Sharad Singh Bhandari filed from Mahottari-2, and Rajendra Mahato, Chair of the Rastriya Mukti Party, from Sarlahi-2.
RPP Chair Rajendra Lingden filed a nomination in Jhapa-3, and Vice-Chair Rabindra Mishra from Kathmandu-1. Kulman Ghising, Chair of the Ujyalo Nepal Party, filed from Kathmandu-3. Former Communications Minister Jagdish Kharel filed from Lalitpur-2 on an RSP ticket.
Former Nepal Police IGP Sarbendra Khanal filed from Bara-4, while Progressive Democratic Party leader and former Home Minister Janardan Sharma filed from Rukum West. Harka Sampang, Chair of the Shram Sanskriti Party, filed from Sunsari-1.
In Rukum East, Kusum Thapa Magar (NC), Lilamani Gautam (UML), and Lakhan Thapa (RSP) filed nominations.
In Rolpa, candidates include Barshaman Pun (NCP), Dr Sudhan Kumar Oli (NC), Gokul Gharti (UML), Balaram Thapa (RSP), and Chudamani Oli of CPN (Biplav).
Similarly, in Pyuthan, Surya Thapa (UML), Krishnadhwaj Khadka (NCP), Govinda Pokhrel (NC), and Sushant Baidhik (RSP) filed their nominations.
