KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
49 candidates, Dr Bhattarai, withdraw from HoR race
A total of 49 candidates have withdrawn their nominations for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5, the Election Commission (EC) has said. At a press conference held in Kathmandu on Friday, the Commission confirmed that former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is among those who withdrew their candidatures. Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said the nomination of one candidate was rejected after objections were raised against five candidates. He added that the election process is progressing peacefully across the country.
NC endorses Gagan Thapa as prime ministerial candidate
The Nepali Congress (NC) has formally endorsed party President Gagan Thapa as its candidate for prime minister in the upcoming elections. A meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Committee held on Friday decided to project Thapa as the party’s prime ministerial face. According to party Vice President Bishwaprakash Sharma, the decision was taken after assessing Thapa against five clearly defined criteria, ensuring the candidate is capable and politically strong. Sharma said the criteria include an individual’s political background, political culture, leadership capacity to run the country, experience of struggle and governance, and understanding of Nepal’s diverse geography.
NA elections: EC says preparations complete
The Election Commission (EC) has announced that all preparations for the National Assembly (NA) elections scheduled for Sunday, January 25, have been completed. The EC shared the update during its weekly press briefing in Kathmandu on Friday. EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that all key processes—including nomination registration, filing of claims and objections, investigation, publication of the final list of candidates, and allocation of election symbols—have been concluded. He added that ballot papers have already been dispatched to the respective Offices of the Election Officers. Voting will take place from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Sunday at designated polling centers in all provinces.
Cabinet decisions: Govt accepts $2 million AIIB grant
The government has decided to accept grant assistance equivalent to USD 2 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Siddhartha Highway Improvement Project (Butwal–Pokhara). The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday, Government Spokesperson and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal said during a press briefing on Friday. The cabinet also agreed to remove the ceiling on foreign investment under the automatic route in designated enterprises and businesses. As per the cabinet’s decision, Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra has been approved to attend the First South Asian Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forest Conference to be held in New Delhi, India, from February 5 to 7.
Oli directs UML leaders in Jhapa-5 to intensify door-to-door voter outreach
CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has instructed party leaders and cadres in Jhapa constituency No. 5 to visit voters’ homes and establish direct contact ahead of the elections. Addressing an extended meeting of the Jhapa-5 Regional Coordination Committee on Friday, Chair Oli said the entire UML party line-up must reach out to voters at the grassroots level and reassure them through direct engagement. Oli claimed that the development works carried out under UML leadership in the constituency were sufficient to secure an electoral victory. He urged party leaders to remind voters of the visible changes brought about in the area. The meeting was attended by central committee members, provincial members, district committee office-bearers, and local-level leaders. Oli directed them to plan campaign activities strategically, counter misinformation spread by opponents, and engage in election campaigning with determination.
Gen-Z voters in Chitwan energized as election campaigning gains momentum
With political parties completing candidate nominations and entering villages to seek votes, the election atmosphere has begun to take shape across the district. Party leaders and cadres have intensified door-to-door campaigns, while rallies and public interactions are being organized to build momentum ahead of polling day. As campaigning gathers pace, first-time voters—mostly young people—are showing visible enthusiasm. Following the Gen-Z movement, many young voters say they are hopeful that the next generation of elected representatives will better understand and reflect youth aspirations. Sofil Moktan, a resident of Bharatpur Metropolitan City–10, said he is eager to cast his vote to elect leaders with fresh energy and clear development plans.
No coalition in Jhapa, says Rajendra Lingden
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden has ruled out any electoral alliance in Jhapa and other constituencies ahead of the upcoming polls. Speaking to Khabarhub, Lingden dismissed speculation of seat-sharing between RPP and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Jhapa-3 and Jhapa-5, saying, “This time, RPP will not collaborate with any party. We will test ourselves by working directly with the people.” In the 2022 elections, Lingden had won the House of Representatives seat from Jhapa-3 with support from CPN-UML, while in Jhapa-5, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli emerged victorious with RPP backing. This has led many to speculate about possible cooperation between Oli and Lingden this time as well. However, sources say Lingden has not responded to calls from Oli. When asked directly about potential collaboration, Lingden reiterated that RPP would not ally with any party, preferring to engage voters independently.
Resham Chaudhary moves SC against cancellation of candidacy
Resham Lal Chaudhary, patron of the Nagarik Unmukti Party Nepal, has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court challenging the cancellation of his candidacy. The Office of the Election Officer had rejected his nomination for the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5 from Kailali Constituency No. 1 under the first-past-the-post system. Chaudhary filed the writ petition the following day, seeking to overturn the decision. The Supreme Court has registered the petition and scheduled a hearing for Sunday.
Winter session of Karnali Assembly set for February 1
The winter session of the second term of the Karnali Provincial Assembly is set to begin on February 1. A meeting of the Karnali provincial cabinet recommended to Provincial Chief Yagya Raj Joshi to convene the assembly session. Government Spokesperson and Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Binod Kumar Shah said the cabinet has proposed that the Provincial Assembly meeting be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, February 1. The previous, sixth session of the Karnali Provincial Assembly concluded on August 6, 2025.
Former PM Baburam Bhattarai withdraws candidacy from Gorkha-2
Former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, who had filed his nomination for Gorkha-2 representing the Progressive Democratic Party, has withdrawn his candidacy. Bhattarai said he made the decision to return his nomination in order to support parties with new energy and progressive agendas. However, he did not announce support for any specific party. On Thursday, he held discussions in Gorkha-2 with Lekhnath Nyaupane, a candidate from the Nepali Communist Party.
Nepali Congress sidelines legacy candidates ahead of post-Gen-Z movement election
For decades, several leaders within the Nepali Congress had risen and survived in politics largely on the strength of family legacy, often overshadowing merit-based leadership. Critics have long argued that political heirs continued to secure influence by invoking the struggles of earlier generations, while some relatives of top leaders allegedly leveraged power to enter politics through quotas meant for marginalized groups. However, in the election following the Gen-Z-led movement, many such legacy-linked candidates have been left out of the race. The party witnessed intense internal power struggles around the convention process, culminating in a Special General Convention. Under the leadership of party President Gagan Kumar Thapa, elected through that convention, ticket distribution has marked a clear departure from past practice. Thapa has sidelined most leaders associated with entrenched political lineages.
Gold price crosses Rs 300,000 per tola in Nepali market
The price of gold in the domestic market has crossed Rs 300,000 per tola for the first time. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold has been fixed at Rs 301,400 per tola for today, marking a new record high. The price of gold surged by Rs 9,200 per tola in a single day. On Thursday, the price had dropped by Rs 2,900 per tola, with gold trading at Rs 292,200 per tola. Traders say the sharp fluctuation reflects volatility in the international market as well as domestic demand trends.
88 polling stations marked sensitive in Kavrepalanchowk
The District Police Office has identified 88 polling stations in Kavrepalanchowk as sensitive ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election scheduled for March 5. Of the total sensitive polling stations, 23 have been classified as ‘highly sensitive,’ police said. District Police Chief Komal Shah told RSS that security arrangements will be tightened at both sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations. “Security personnel will be deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the election,” he said. A total of 2,269 election police personnel are planned to be mobilized in the district, including 1,115 from the Nepal Police and 350 from the Armed Police Force. According to official data, Kavrepalanchowk has 326,611 voters, including 167,499 males, 159,110 females, and two voters from another gender category.
Rebel candidacy row deepens in Sindhuli as NCP leader Gajurel defies party directive
Nepali Communist Party (NCP) leader Haribol Gajurel has refused to withdraw a rebel candidacy in Sindhuli, defying a direct instruction from party leadership. NCP Co-chairpersons Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Madhav Kumar Nepal on Friday directed Gajurel to ensure the withdrawal of the rebel candidacy filed from Sindhuli constituency No. 2. However, Gajurel made it clear to the top leadership that he would not, under any circumstances, force the withdrawal of Maheshwar Dahal, whose candidacy he himself supported. The NCP has officially fielded Lekhnath Dahal (Rajan) as its candidate in Sindhuli-2. Despite this, Gajurel acted as a proposer for Maheshwar Dahal, effectively backing him against the party’s official nominee. While the party center stands firmly behind Lekhnath Dahal, the entire district committee has rallied in support of Maheshwar Dahal.
Kathmandu Metropolitan intensifies river and stream cleanup drive
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has intensified its river and stream cleanup campaign within the city as part of its broader effort to enhance urban cleanliness and beauty. As part of the campaign, the metropolis has already completed the cleanup of Dhobi Khola and Tukucha Khola in the Anamnagar area. It has now moved forward with cleaning work along the Bishnumati River in Ward No. 16. KMC employees have been removing waste dumped into the rivers and clearing overgrown bushes along the riverbanks. The metropolis said the cleanup drive was launched as the highly polluted condition of rivers and streams had led to foul odors, increased the risk of waterborne diseases, and negatively impacted the city’s aesthetics.
Two killed in Rautahat motorcycle collision
Two people were killed after two motorcycles collided in Patharatol, Ward 1, Rajdevi Municipality this morning. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Bishnu Pradeep Basyal of the District Police Office, the accident occurred on the inner road section of Gaur-Pipra when a motorcycle with registration number PR 2-03-018 P 3346 coming from Gangapipra towards Gaur collided head-on with an Indian-registered motorcycle BR 30AF 2370 coming from the opposite direction. The deceased have been identified as Ashok Mahato, 30, from Pipra Bazaar, Durgabhagwati Rural Municipality-2, who was riding the PR-registered motorcycle, and Arbinda Mahato, 29, from Hajmini, Rajdevi Municipality-2, who was riding the Indian-registered bike. Police said both riders died on the spot.
Saraswati Puja observed with enthusiasm
Saraswati Puja, dedicated to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music, arts, and learning, was observed across the country today with great devotion and enthusiasm. The festival falls on Shukla Panchami of the Nepali month and marks the onset of spring. Popularly known as Basanta Panchami, the day symbolizes renewal, learning, and intellectual awakening. From early morning, students and parents thronged Saraswati temples and educational institutions to offer prayers, seeking blessings for academic success, creativity, and wisdom. Schools and colleges have also organized special prayers and cultural activities to mark the occasion. The day holds special significance for young children, as it is considered highly auspicious to initiate learning.
Over 25,600 water birds recorded in Shuklaphanta National Park and surrounding wetlands
The population of water birds in Shuklaphanta National Park and its surrounding wetlands has increased significantly this year, according to the latest water bird census. A total of 25,660 water birds representing 82 species were recorded during the census, marking an increase of about 3,500 birds compared to last year, when around 21,800 birds were counted. The census covered major wetlands and water bodies, including Sikari Pond, Rani Pond, Baba Pond, Silgauri Pond, Radhapur Wetland, the Mahakali and Chaudhar riverbanks, as well as Puraini Pond, Ratanpur Wetland and Banda Pond.
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