While four former Prime Ministers are contesting the March 5 Parliamentary elections from different constituencies, two are left behind.
CPN-UML chair and deposed Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli is contesting Parliamentary election from Jhapa 5 where he will be challenged by former Mayor of Kathmandu Balendra Shah “Balen.” Former Prime Ministers Pushpakamal Dahal “Prachanda” and Madhav Kumar Nepal are also contesting the upcoming elections representing Nepali Communist Party. Prachanda” has filed nomination from Rukum East constituency while another Nepal has filed nomination from Rautahat -1.
Another former PM Baburam Bhattarai has filed nomination from Gorkha – 2 constituency representing Pragatisheel Lokatantrik Party.
When four former PMs have filed nominations to contest the House of Representative elections scheduled for March 5, former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior leader of Nepali Communist Party Jhala Nath Khanal are not in the race. Khanal has voluntarily chosen to remain out of the race, while Deuba was forced to remain out from the power politics by the rebellion young leaders of his own party.
Former party chief Deuba was desirous to contest polls for the eighth times from Dadeldhura constituency but newly elected president of the party Gagan Thapa finally convinced him to remain away from the polls keeping with the Gen Z sentiments.
One of the main reasons why the Gen Z youths revolted in September last year was the three top leaders, Deuba, Prachanda and Oli grabbed the Prime Minister’s post turn by turn like a musical chair game in the past one and a half decades period.
Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balen quit the post to contest Parliamentary election from Jhapa 5 while Harka Sampang, mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City quit the post to contest election from Sunsari 1. Similarly, Renu Dahal, daughter of ex-PM Prachanda quit the Mayor post of Bharatpur Metropolitan City to contest election from Chitawan 3 constituency.
