The registration of Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Kumar Thapa’s candidacy in Sarlahi-4 has ignited a heated political debate, hitting the headlines. Elected as party President through the Special General Convention held in mid-January, Thapa has moved his constituency to Madhesh as a Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections on March 5. Analysts suggest his presence in Sarlahi-4—a region with the highest number of constituencies (32)—could lead to a resurgence of Nepali Congress in the Province.
This move is also seen as a strategic counter-maneuver against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). Just two days after RSP appointed former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra (Balen) Shah as a senior leader and launched a campaign from Madhesh, Thapa filed his candidacy. Notably, RSP has poised Balen as their Prime Ministerial candidate from Jhapa-5, setting up a narrative battle between Oli and Balen.
Political analyst Tula Narayan Sah states that Thapa enters Madhesh after resolving internal party conflicts. "There is no longer a message of injustice within the party. Previously, the biggest hurdle was internal sabotage when one faction gave a ticket and the other revolted. That appears settled; the party looks united, which benefits Nepali Congress," Sah explains. He adds that with both Balen and Gagan active in the region, Madhesh has officially become the "battleground" of the March 5 election.
Analyst Chandra Kishore views this shift as a positive sign for democracy. He argues that while past leaders often acted as "regional commanders," the current movement across provincial lines helps create truly national leaders. He cites India as an example: "Modi was a brand of Gujarat but contested from Varanasi; Rahul Gandhi contests from South India. This broadens leadership and moves it beyond parochialism."
He emphasized that candidates should not be mocked as "outsiders" or "fugitives" for switching constituencies. Instead, the focus should be on how they bring local concerns into the national mainstream.
Revitalizing the Congress Stronghold
Historically, Sarlahi-4 has been a Congress bastion. Leaders like Mahantha Thakur won three consecutive terms (1991–1999) before the Madhesh movement shifted the tide. Since 2013, Dr. Amaresh Kumar Singh held the seat, winning twice for Congress and once as an independent in 2022 after a dispute over ticket distribution.
In the 2022 local elections, NC secured the highest proportional representation (PR) votes in Sarlahi-4 with 16,029 votes, followed by Janamat Party. Of the seven local levels and 51 wards in the constituency, Congress currently holds two local heads and 19 ward chairs.
Gagan Thapa had intended to contest from Sarlahi-4 in 2022 to vacate his Kathmandu-4 seat for economist Swarnim Wagle (now RSP Vice President). However, internal conflict with then-President Sher Bahadur Deuba forced Thapa to remain in Kathmandu to secure his own candidacy.
This time, as the party president and the one distributing tickets, Thapa has fielded youth leader Sachin Timalsina in Kathmandu-4, and decided to contest the elections from the heart of Madhesh.
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