The Koshi Province Committee of Nepali Congress (NC) has finalized and forwarded a list of 412 potential candidates to the party's central working committee (CWC) for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections scheduled for March 5, 2026.
The recommendations include 127 names for First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) seats and 285 names for the Proportional Representation (PR) category. According to Narayan Koirala, Chief Secretary of the NC Province Committee, the list was forwarded to the CWC exactly as received from the district committees.
Heavyweights and family members top PR lists
The PR list is notably fraught with former ministers, ex-lawmakers, and high-ranking party officials. In several instances, the families of prominent leaders have also been recommended.
Morang: Former Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala has been recommended for a PR seat from Morang-2. Other notable names from the district include Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi and Dr. Dila Sangroula.
Sunsari: Former Koshi Province Head Govinda Bahadur Tumbahang and former Provincial Assembly member Navodita Kumari Chaudhary are among the 60+ names recommended.
Jhapa: The home district of General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Krishna Prasad Sitaula saw the highest number of PR recommendations, totaling 44 names across five constituencies.
Panchthar and Taplejung: Recommendations include relatives of senior leaders, such as Shanta Baskota (daughter of former minister Dipak Prakash Baskota) and Janimaya Thapa Magar (wife of former minister Purna Kumar Sherma).
District-wise highlights
The recommendation process covered almost the entire province, with various districts submitting their preferred candidates.
Ilam: Former lawmaker Sujata Pariyar is among those listed for PR. In Tehrathum, four individuals have been recommended for the Proportional Representation (PR) category. Those recommended are Sharada Koirala, Krishnaman Tumbahangphe, Basanti Gurung, and Sanisa Bhetwal.
Udayapur and Dhankuta: Forwarded 4 and 13 PR names respectively, including central committee member Narayan Bahadur Karki.
Hilly Districts: Solukhumbu (8 names), Okhaldhunga (3 women leaders), and Sankhuwasabha (10 names) have also submitted their lists.
Khotang fails to submit list due to internal dispute
While most districts completed the process, Khotang failed to submit any names. NC Koshi General Secretary Bhupendra Rai attributed this to a leadership vacuum and internal disputes following disciplinary actions against the district president and other key officials.
The central committee will now review these recommendations to finalize the official candidates who will represent the party in the upcoming general elections.
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