KATHMANDU: As senior leaders across major political parties continue to signal their intention to remain active in frontline politics, Nepali Congress leader and former minister Rajendra Kumar KC has taken a contrasting step, announcing he will not contest the upcoming House of Representatives election slated for March 5.
His decision has intensified calls for generational change and placed moral pressure on top leaders such as Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
KC, who secured consecutive victories from Kathmandu Constituency-10 in 2013, 2017 and 2022, declared on Thursday that he will step aside to make space for younger leaders. Widely considered one of Congress’s strongest candidates in the capital, KC had once defeated Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the second Constituent Assembly election, cementing his political stature.
“Those who have received repeated opportunities should now step back,” KC said, adding that it is time for the party to promote new leadership. He has already informed the party’s top brass of his decision.
Senior leaders staying on despite Gen-Z pressure
KC’s announcement comes at a time when Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Maoist Centre Chair Prachanda continue to signal long-term political ambitions, even after the Gen-Z uprising of September 8 and 9 delivered a clear message urging prominent veteran leaders to make way for younger generations.
Despite being 79, Deuba has revived aspirations to contest from Dadeldhura again, a constituency he has won seven times. According to leaders close to him, Deuba has been telling visitors that he remains committed to parliamentary politics, even though party statute bars him from running for party president for a third term.
On the UML side, KP Sharma Oli has already amended party statute to secure a third term as chair. During the Gen-Z protests, Oli, who until then held a two-thirds majority government, was forced to leave Baluwatar amid widespread public anger. Yet he continues to tighten control within the party, reportedly deploying close allies to attack internal challengers such as Ishwar Pokharel on social media.
Maoist Centre Chair Prachanda has similarly consolidated his grip on the party, removing his rival Janardan Sharma and bringing in Madhav Nepal’s faction to secure his leadership position.
KC’s move heightens expectations for renewal
By voluntarily withdrawing from an election he is favored to win, KC has underscored the argument that political parties must now embrace leadership transition. His declaration has put additional moral pressure on senior leaders, especially Deuba, at a time when Nepali Congress grassroots have been demanding internal reforms.
With Nepali Congress strong in Kathmandu-10, KC’s exit opens space for fresh candidacies without risking the party’s electoral prospects. Party committees are currently engaged in candidate recommendations, and KC’s decision is expected to influence the tone and direction of these consultations.
Political observers say KC’s announcement marks a rare instance of senior leadership stepping aside voluntarily, potentially setting a precedent at a time when the country’s top political figures, despite age, controversy and public frustration, have shown little willingness to do the same.
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