Parliamentary polls in Nepal started at 7 a.m. on Thursday for the House of Representatives, with voters lining up at polling stations nationwide to vote. The elections aim to elect 275 lower house members, with 165 through the First-Past-the-Post system and 110 through proportional representation. Notable leaders like Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal have cast their votes.
Some prominent figures, including RSP President Rabi Lamichhane and senior party leader Balen Shah, as well as former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, voted in their hometowns. Lamichhane emphasized the importance of voting to select the desired leadership, stating it shapes the future. The RSP, the fourth-largest party in the dissolved House of Representatives, is anticipated to perform well this time.
Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ voted in Bharatpur, Chitwan, where his daughter Renu Dahal is a candidate. Renu, a former mayor of the city, is seen as a strong contender due to her development work. Prachanda, a candidate from Rukum East-1, stressed the need to focus on the quality of parties and candidates rather than old versus new forces. Popular leader Kul Man Ghising, president of the Ujyalo Nepal Party, also cast his vote in Kathmandu.
The elections in Nepal are happening nearly two years early due to the political changes following the Gen Z movement last year. The movement led to the downfall of former Prime Minister Oli’s government and the establishment of the current interim government under Sushila Karki. Over 18.90 million people, including 915,119 new voters, are eligible to vote. The polls are being conducted at 23,112 polling centers with a total of 3,406 candidates in the FPTP system and 3,135 in the proportional representation system.
