KATHMANDU: With the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, the country has entered full election mode. Political parties, candidates and activists are busy campaigning across the country. However, a section of the Nepali Congress leadership sidelined by the party’s special convention appears largely detached from the election process.
Several senior leaders who lost positions and tickets after the special convention have yet to actively join campaign activities. While some remain in Kathmandu, others have only recently begun visiting their districts. As a result, in several constituencies, Congress voters have not seen familiar senior faces during the campaign.
Senior leaders still in Kathmandu
While the party under newly elected President Gagan Thapa has intensified its election campaign, former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba has shown no indication of leaving Kathmandu. Deuba, who had expressed a desire to contest the election one final time, did not receive a ticket and is not seen campaigning for party candidates.
Deuba was also injured during the Gen-Z movement and has remained largely absent from public appearances in recent months due to age and health concerns. His spouse Arzu Deuba has similarly stayed away from political programs for a long time.
Former vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka, who served as acting party president after the Gen-Z movement, has also remained disengaged from election campaigning. Instead of touring districts, he has been spending time leading legal challenges related to leaders excluded after the special convention.
In contrast, former vice-president Dhanraj Gurung has reached his home district Syangja and joined the campaign. Among the so-called seven brother faction, leaders Prakash Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, and Shashank Koirala are also yet to actively engage in election campaigning and have largely confined themselves to their homes in Kathmandu. They have not publicly endorsed party candidates either.
However, leaders Bimalendra Nidhi, Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar and Prakash Sharan Mahat, who are part of the same group, secured tickets and are currently contesting the election.
Ticket denial and legal troubles
Leader Bal Krishna Khand, linked to the refugee scam, and his wife Manju Khand were both denied tickets and are absent from the election scene. Similarly, senior leader Mohan Bahadur Basnet of Sindhupalchok, who is facing corruption charges related to the Teramax procurement case, has also remained outside active campaigning after being sidelined in the special convention.
Leader Ramesh Lekhak, who has kept a low public profile since the Gen-Z movement, reached his home district Kanchanpur only on Monday and is expected to join the campaign, according to his secretariat.
Meanwhile, leaders Ramhari Khatiwada and Jeevan Pariyar have been campaigning in their districts despite not receiving tickets. Badri Prasad Pandey also began campaigning in his home district from Monday after spending a prolonged period in Kathmandu.
Congress sources say that several leaders and cadres long associated with Deuba’s faction remain inactive at various levels. However, party President Gagan Thapa is reportedly trying to bring all factions together, and except for a few individuals, most inactive leaders and workers are expected to be mobilized as the election date approaches.
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