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Months after Gen Z protests, Nepal to get new Prime Minister: Here are the 4 frontrunners
The elections were called after Oli resigned as prime minister on September 9, following violent protests led by Gen Z youth groups.
Months after youth-led Gen Z protests shook Nepal’s political landscape last year, several familiar faces are returning to the electoral arena. Four former prime ministers have filed their nomination papers for the general elections scheduled on March 5, even as public anger against long-standing leadership continues to simmer.
Former prime minister and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) chair K P Sharma Oli has entered the contest from Jhapa-5. Pushpakamal Dahal, popularly known as ‘Prachanda’ and leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), is contesting from Rukum East, news agency PTI reported.
Also read| Nepal election heats up as Gen Z challengers take on veteran leaders
Two other former prime ministers—Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Nepali Communist Party and Baburam Bhattarai of the Pragatisheel Lokatantrik Party—have filed nominations from Rautahat-1 and Gorkha-2, respectively.
However, not all senior leaders are in the race. Nepali Congress leader and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has stayed away from the polls, as has Jhala Nath Khanal of the Nepali Communist Party.
The elections were called after Oli resigned as prime minister on September 9, 2025, following violent protests led by Gen Z youth groups. The protests reflected growing frustration with Nepal’s ageing political leadership.
“One of the main reasons why the Gen Z youths revolted in September last year was that over the last 15 years, the three top leaders, Deuba, Prachanda and Oli, grabbed the prime minister’s post turn by turn akin to a musical chair game,” said Pralhad Rijal, senior journalist and editor of Aarthik Dainik.
“The Gen Z youth wanted change and also indicated that they are fed up with old leadership. Despite this, we have these four leaders who are all 70-plus,” Rijal added.
Oli is 74 years old, while Prachanda and Bhattarai are both 71. Madhav Kumar Nepal is 72.
Among the two former prime ministers not contesting, Khanal has chosen to step aside voluntarily. Deuba, however, was compelled to stay out following resistance from younger leaders within his party.
“Deuba had desired to contest polls for the eighth time from his Dadeldhura constituency but the newly elected president of the party Gagan Thapa finally convinced him to remain away from the polls keeping with the Gen Z sentiments,” said Dhananjaya Sharma, academician and political analyst.
The elections have also drawn participation from local leaders. Three sitting mayors have resigned from their posts to contest the polls.
The most prominent among them is Balendra Shah, popularly known as ‘Balen’, the former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He has entered the race from Jhapa-5 in eastern Nepal. Harka Sampang, former mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City, is contesting from Sunsari-1. Prachanda’s daughter Renu Dahal, who served as mayor of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, has filed her nomination from Chitwan-3.
Despite strong signals from young voters demanding political renewal, the upcoming elections remain dominated by veteran leaders, setting the stage for a generational clash at the ballot box.
(With PTI inputs)
