Surkhet, Nepal – Four constituencies in Karnali Province have drawn heightened public attention as the House of Representatives election scheduled for February 21 approaches. The two constituencies in Surkhet, the provincial capital, along with Kalikot and Rukum West, have become the center of political debate across the region.
Surkhet: Election Without Congress Heavyweights
In Surkhet, the absence of two long-time Nepali Congress stalwarts—Purna Bahadur Khadka and Hridayaram Thani—has fueled intense speculation about the possible outcome.
Khadka, a former vice president of the Nepali Congress, has been contesting elections from Surkhet Constituency No. 1 since 1991. He won multiple parliamentary elections and re-entered Parliament through both direct and proportional representation systems over the years. Thani, a former central committee member, had been contesting from Constituency No. 2 since 1994 and served as a lawmaker after winning several elections.
This time, however, neither leader is in the race. Instead, Bishnu Bahadur Khadka, the brother of Purna Bahadur Khadka, is contesting from Constituency No. 1, while Narayan Kumar Koirala, a close aide to Thani, is running from Constituency No. 2 under the Nepali Congress banner.
The electoral landscape has grown more competitive as former Congress members have joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and entered the fray. Tek Bahadur Singh is contesting in Constituency No. 1 and Ramesh Kumar Sapkota in Constituency No. 2 under the RSP ticket.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has fielded Dhruva Kumar Shahi in Constituency No. 1 and Kulmani Devkota in Constituency No. 2. Nepal Communist Party (NCP) candidates Jit Bahadur Rana and Jhak Bahadur Malla are also in the race.
Although the Nepali Congress maintains a strong organizational base in Surkhet, analysts say the absence of its traditional heavyweights and the entry of new and breakaway candidates have made the outcome less predictable.
Kalikot: Former Allies in Fierce Rivalry
Kalikot has emerged as another high-profile battleground, with former comrades Khadga Bahadur BK and Mahendra Bahadur Shahi competing against each other.
Shahi, a former Chief Minister of Karnali Province, has been a prominent political figure in the district since 2013. BK, who won the 2008 Constituent Assembly election from Kalikot by a wide margin, has returned to parliamentary politics after nearly 18 years.
The contest has been marked by sharp exchanges, with both leaders claiming credit for development works in the district. Their rivalry has intensified campaign rhetoric, drawing significant public interest.
Observers believe that internal competition within leftist forces could benefit other parties, including the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, depending on how votes are split.
Rukum West: Janardan Sharma Faces Former Protégé
Rukum West is also witnessing a dramatic showdown between former allies. Janardan Sharma, who has consistently won elections from the district since the peace process era, is now contesting under the banner of the Progressive Democratic Party after parting ways with his former party.
He faces Gopal Sharma, once his close associate, who remains aligned with the Nepal Communist Party faction.
Janardan Sharma’s new party has received backing from CPN-UML in the district, strengthening his electoral prospects. However, with UML not fielding its own candidate and internal divisions among leftist voters, some believe the Nepali Congress could also benefit from vote fragmentation.
Unpredictable Outcome
Across Karnali’s four key constituencies, the combination of heavyweight absences, former allies turned rivals, and shifting party loyalties has made electoral projections challenging. While traditional party strongholds remain influential, emerging political forces and internal rifts have injected uncertainty into what promises to be a closely watched election in the province.
As campaigning intensifies, voters in Surkhet, Kalikot, and Rukum West are weighing continuity against change—setting the stage for a decisive and closely contested parliamentary race in Karnali.
