Months after Gen Z protests, four former PMs enter fray for March 5 Nepal polls

Four months after youth-led Gen Z protests rocked Nepal and forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, the country is gearing up for the House of Representatives election on March 5, 2026 . The elections are being seen as a crucial test of Nepal’s democratic process, with political parties and new entrants actively filing nominations across the country.

As many as four former prime ministers have filed their nomination papers from different constituencies, underscoring the continued dominance of senior leaders despite strong calls for generational change. Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) chair K P Sharma Oli is contesting from Jhapa-5 , while former prime minister Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) has filed his nomination from Rukum East . Two other former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) and Baburam Bhattarai of the Nepal Samajbadi Party are contesting from Rautahat-1 and Gorkha-2 constituencies, respectively.

The elections were necessitated after Oli resigned as prime minister on September 9, 2025 , following violent Gen Z protests, which accused the political establishment of recycling the same leadership and failing to address unemployment, governance deficits and corruption .

“One of the main reasons why Gen Z youth revolted in September last year was that over the past 15 years, the three top leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prachanda and Oli occupied the prime minister’s post turn by turn, akin to a game of musical chairs,” said Pralhad Rijal, senior journalist and editor of Aarthik Dainik. Oli is 74 , while Prachanda and Bhattarai are both 71 , and Madhav Kumar Nepal is 72 .

Two former prime ministers are not contesting this time. Senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal has voluntarily stayed away, while Sher Bahadur Deuba was compelled to step aside following resistance from younger leaders within his party.

The elections have also drawn participation from local leaders, with three mayors resigning to contest the polls. The most prominent among them is former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ , contesting from Jhapa-5 . The other two are Harka Sampang , former mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, contesting from Sunsari-1 , and Renu Dahal , former mayor of Bharatpur and Prachanda’s daughter, contesting from Chitawan-3 .

To ensure a free and peaceful vote , the government has implemented an extensive security plan , deploying the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force , along with intelligence agencies, to safeguard polling stations, ballot transport and public order. Over 300,000 security personnel are expected to be stationed nationwide, a measure aimed at preventing unrest similar to the September 2025 protests.

Authorities have urged voters and political groups to maintain peaceful participation , while the Election Commission continues to oversee preparations, including voter registration and election logistics , to ensure the polls are conducted smoothly and on schedule.