MYAGDI: Political parties and independent candidates are set for a closely watched contest in the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election in the Himalayan district of Myagdi, which has a single parliamentary constituency.
Karna Bahadur Bhandari (KB) of the Nepali Congress, Hari Krishna Shrestha of the CPN-UML, Arjun Thapa of the Maoist Centre, and independent candidate Dr Mahabir Pun are emerging as the main contenders.
Pun, a Roman Magsaysay Award winner, has drawn national attention after resigning as Minister for Education, Science and Technology in the interim government on the day of nomination registration to contest from his home district. His candidacy has significantly altered the local political landscape.
Dhananjay Kumar Shrestha of Beni said that changing national political dynamics, the rise of independent candidates, and shifting party strategies have heightened interest in Myagdi’s election.
“The Myagdi election, which drew little national attention in the past, has come into the spotlight this time due to Mahabir Pun’s candidacy,” he said. “The organizational strength of political parties and the growing influence of independents have made the contest unpredictable.”
Adding to the competition, the Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led CPN has fielded Chhetra Bahadur Ghimire (Dhruba), a former president of Myagdi Multiple Campus who was active in underground politics during the conflict period.
Other candidates include Dambar Bahadur Subedi of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Devendra Kami of the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party, Binod Rana of the Shram Sanskriti Party, Chhem Bahadur Bishwakarma of the Rastriya Janamorcha, Bhim Bahadur Lama of the Mongol National Organization, and Tul Prasad Garbuja of National Republican Nepal.
Yubaraj Roka of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who has publicly announced his support for independent candidate Pun, is also in the race. UML candidate Shrestha is contesting for the second time, while all other candidates are making their first bid for parliamentary office. Notably, parties are competing independently this time, without forming electoral alliances as they did in 2022
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