Prachanda Returns to House of Representatives with a Significant Victory in Rukum East-1

Kathmandu, March 6: Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, commonly known as Prachanda, has emerged victorious in the House of Representatives elections, solidifying his position as one of the top leaders among traditional political parties in Nepal. He was elected from Rukum East-1, winning by a margin of 10,240 votes. His closest rival, Leelamani Gautam from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), received 3,462 votes.

According to the Election Commission of Nepal, Prachanda was the coordinator of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), formed after the merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist), which secured the election victory. In contrast, other traditional political parties, such as the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, performed poorly in the elections.

Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa are trailing behind independent candidates Balen Shah and Amaresh Kumar Singh. Prachanda’s victory comes from a stronghold of former Maoist rebels.

Critics have accused him of abandoning Gorkha-2, where he was elected in the 2022 elections, allegedly out of fear of losing that seat. Instead, he chose to contest from Rukum East-1, considered a safer area.

Prachanda first entered mainstream politics after the armed rebellion ended in 2006, winning elections in Kathmandu-10 and Rolpa-2 during the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections. He later won in Siraha-5 during the second Constituent Assembly elections in 2013 and in Chitwan-3 during the first parliamentary elections held after the new constitution was implemented in 2017. In 2022, he was elected from Gorkha-2.

He has been a central figure in national politics, especially during the armed conflict from 1996 to 2006. Even as his party entered mainstream politics, his agenda has remained a significant factor in Nepal’s political landscape.

However, since the 2008 elections, his party’s strength has steadily declined. Despite this, Prachanda has remained an unavoidable personality in national politics, serving as Prime Minister multiple times, whether with support from the Nepali Congress or CPN-UML.

–