In a strategic shift of power within Nepali Congress (NC), newly elected President Gagan Thapa has secured over two-thirds of the party's nominations for the upcoming House of Representatives elections. Following the recent Special General Convention, Thapa has effectively sidelined the veteran factions led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and Shekhar Koirala.
Of the 165 total seats, Thapa’s camp has secured 120 candidates (73%), leaving Deuba with 32 (19%) and Koirala with just 13 (8%). Analysts view this as Thapa’s "revenge" after his faction was previously marginalized during National Assembly and Proportional Representation selections.
Provincial breakdown and key candidates
Koshi (28 Seats): Thapa holds 17 seats, Deuba 5, and Koirala 6.
• Thapa Pick: Gururaj Ghimire (Morang-4), Binod Basnet, Khadga Bahadur Phago.
• Deuba Pick: Bijay Gachhadar (Sunsari-3), Gyanendra Karki (Sunsari-4).
• Koirala Pick: Dr. Shekhar Koirala (Morang-6), Minendra Rijal (Morang-2).
Madhesh (32 Seats): Thapa dominates with 21 seats, Deuba has 9, and Koirala 2.
• Thapa Pick: Gagan Thapa (Sarlahi-4), Anil Jha, Surendra Chaudhary.
• Deuba Pick: Bimalendra Nidhi (Dhanusha-3), Mahendra Yadav, Ajay Chaurasia.
• Koirala Pick: Tejulal Chaudhary (Saptari-4), Kiran Yadav.
Bagmati (33 Seats): Thapa holds a near-monopoly with 29 seats, including all 10 in Kathmandu.
• Thapa Pick: Pradip Paudel (KTM-5), Madhu Acharya, Ajay Babu Shiwakoti.
• Deuba Pick: Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat (Nuwakot-1), Mahalaxmi Upadhyay ‘Dina’.
Gandaki (18 Seats): Thapa secured 14 seats, Deuba 4.
• Thapa Pick: Arjun Joshi (Parbat), Yogendra Gauchan (Mustang).
• Deuba Pick: Govinda Bhattarai (Tanahun-1), Shankar Bhandari.
Lumbini (26 Seats): Thapa holds 17, Deuba 4, and Koirala 5.
• Thapa Pick: Binod Chaudhary (Nawalparasi-1), Amar Singh Pun.
• Deuba Pick: Kishore Singh Rathore, Devendra Kadel.
• Koirala Pick: Chandra Bhandari (Gulmi-1), Deepak Giri.
Karnali (12 Seats): Thapa holds a staggering 11 seats.
• Thapa Pick: Dikpal Shahi, Harsh Bahadur Bam.
• Deuba Pick: Vishnu Khadka (Surkhet-1).
Sudurpashchim (16 Seats): Thapa secured 11 seats, Deuba 5.
• Thapa Pick: Chatur Bahadur Chand (Baitadi), Bharat Bahadur Khadka.
• Deuba Pick: NP Saud (Kanchanpur-2), Nain Singh Mahar (Dadeldhura).
Generational shift
The selection marks a massive overhaul: 106 of the 165 candidates are new faces. Thapa has also fielded 11 women, including Mahalaxmi Upadhyay ‘Dina’ (Deuba camp) and Sarita Prasai (Koirala camp), alongside several Thapa-aligned newcomers like Mandhara Chimariya and Nanu Bastola.
As the Prime Ministerial candidate for the March 5 polls, Thapa’s grip on the FPTP candidate list ensures a loyal parliamentary party as he eyes the country's top office.
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