Biratnagar: As the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21 approaches, the political atmosphere in Koshi Province has intensified more than in other parts of the country. A total of 505 candidates have registered their nominations across the province’s 28 constituencies.
According to Cholaraj Dangal, Chief of the Provincial Election Office in Biratnagar, the number of candidates may change after the publication of the final list, but preliminary data show that 505 nominations have been filed so far.
The pressure of candidates is particularly high in urban and politically sensitive constituencies. Sunsari Constituency No. 4 alone has 34 candidates in the race. Altogether, 110 candidates are contesting across Sunsari’s four constituencies. In Sunsari-1, the contest includes former Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Harka Raj Rai. Meanwhile, Sunsari-4 is expected to witness a major contest between Nepali Congress leader Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and CPN-UML’s Jagadish Kushiyat. Karki had won from this constituency in the previous election.
Morang and Jhapa at the Center of Political Focus
Morang, which includes the provincial capital Biratnagar, has seen 118 candidates file nominations across its six constituencies. Prominent Nepali Congress leaders, including Dr. Shekhar Koirala, General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire, and Dr. Sunil Sharma, are among those in the race.
Jhapa, another major political hub, has recorded 90 candidates across its five constituencies. Jhapa-5 has drawn the most attention nationally, with CPN-UML Chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli facing Balendra Shah (Balen) of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. With both parties projecting their candidates as potential future prime ministers, the constituency is widely seen as the “epicenter” of this election, as one of the two high-profile candidates is certain to face defeat.
In Jhapa-2, former Speaker Devraj Ghimire and Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar are contesting, while Jhapa-3 features Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chair Rajendra Lingden as a candidate.
Strong Competition in Hills and Mountains
According to the Provincial Election Office, 31 candidates have registered in Udayapur’s two constituencies. Electoral competition also remains significant in the hilly and mountainous districts of Koshi Province. A total of 13 candidates are contesting in Taplejung, 15 in Panchthar, 27 across two constituencies in Ilam, 16 in Sankhuwasabha, 12 in Tehrathum, 12 in Bhojpur, 18 in Dhankuta, 12 in Solukhumbu, 15 in Khotang, and 16 in Okhaldhunga.
Provincial Lawmaker Resigns to Contest Federal Election
Meanwhile, Bhakti Prasad Sitaula, a Provincial Assembly member from Jhapa Constituency No. 4 (2) representing the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, has resigned from his post to contest the House of Representatives election. He has filed his candidacy from Jhapa-4 on behalf of his party.
According to the Koshi Provincial Assembly Secretariat, Sitaula submitted his resignation to the Speaker and completed the formal verification process. With the resignation accepted, the provincial assembly seat from the constituency has been declared vacant.
The Election Office reported that the nomination process was completed peacefully. Following the complaint, investigation, and final publication of the candidate list, formal election campaigning is expected to gain momentum in the coming days.
