KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Chitwan’s electoral landscape is once again heating up as the battle for Constituency–3 promises a fiercely contested race, with major parties and high-profile candidates locking horns.
In the previous House of Representatives (HoR) election held in 2079 BS, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emerged as a dominant force in Chitwan, winning two of the district’s three constituencies by wide margins. RSP candidates Hari Dhakal and Rabi Lamichhane clinched victories in Constituencies 1 and 2 respectively, while Constituency 3 went to Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Vice-Chairman Bikram Pandey in a landslide win.
Pandey, however, is out of the race this time, opening up a competitive contest in Chitwan–3 that observers say could go down to the wire.
Parties that have traditionally traded victories in this constituency—Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party (NCP), RSP, and RPP—are once again in the fray. Although 23 candidates have filed nominations, the real contest is expected among these five major parties.
NC has fielded veteran leader Tek Prasad Gurung, while UML has nominated Bharatpur Metropolitan Committee Chair Shankar Thapaliya. NCP has put forward former Bharatpur Metropolitan City (BMC) Mayor Renu Dahal, RSP has nominated former HoR member Sobita Gautam, and RPP has fielded young leader Deepak Magar. Gautam’s arrival in Chitwan—after being elected from Kathmandu–2 in the previous election—has further energized the political atmosphere.
Tech stocks tank as a Chinese competitor threatens to upend the...
In the last election, Pandey defeated then CPN (Maoist Centre) candidate Bhojraj Adhikari by 9,236 votes. While Pandey dominated the direct contest, RSP led the proportional representation (PR) vote with 28,401 ballots.
In the first-past-the-post race, RSP’s Jita Baral finished third with 14,843 votes. Pandey secured 35,060 votes, followed by Adhikari with 25,824, and independent candidate Dinesh Koirala with 12,275 votes. At the time, Adhikari was backed by the then CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Janamorcha, while Koirala enjoyed UML’s support.
Interestingly, despite Pandey’s strong showing, RPP secured only 16,655 votes under the PR system. Other PR tallies included 16,090 for the then Maoist Centre, 14,522 for UML, 10,524 for NC, and 1,085 for the Unified Socialist. As many as 47 parties received PR votes in Chitwan–3, though most polled fewer than 100 votes.
NC leaders say the party has gained fresh momentum after fielding Gurung, a former central committee member and ex-district president. Local NC supporters, who have not been able to vote for the party’s symbol for nearly a decade due to alliances, say enthusiasm has returned at the grassroots.
“Voters in Constituency–3 were frustrated because they couldn’t vote for the tree symbol for 10 years,” said NC Chitwan Secretary Dhruba Pokhrel. “Now that we have our own candidate, excitement has resurfaced.”
Pokhrel added that new leadership within the party has further boosted morale. “Since Gagan Thapa became party president, enthusiasm has grown even at the grassroots level, especially among Gen Z voters,” he said, expressing confidence in a NC victory.
Gurung, known for his clean image, has previously served as chair of the District Development Committee and is believed to have appeal among both traditional and indigenous voters. The party says it is drafting its manifesto based on voters’ concerns gathered at the community level.
UML, meanwhile, maintains a strong organizational base in the constituency and has fielded Thapaliya. Chitwan–3 includes Madi Municipality and wards 6, 8–9, and 13–28 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City. UML previously won the mayoral post in Madi.
UML Chitwan Secretary Prakash Dhungana said retaining the party’s past vote base would be key to victory. UML plans to kick off its campaign from Hanuman Jhula in Madi.
The constituency has also drawn national attention following former Bharatpur Mayor Renu Dahal’s resignation to contest the parliamentary election from this seat. Her campaign has been increasingly assertive, with NCP Chitwan Chair Ramchandra Adhikari claiming her development record gives her a clear edge.
“Development, prosperity, good governance, and social justice are the foundations of Renu Dahal’s candidacy,” Adhikari said, dismissing perceptions circulating on social media.
Chitwan is widely seen as fertile ground for RSP, which secured the highest PR votes here previously. With central leader Sobita Gautam contesting from Chitwan–3, party leaders say the political equation has shifted. RSP Chitwan Chair Krishna Bhusal claimed Gautam would secure an easy win, citing positive feedback from Madi and western Bharatpur.
RPP candidate Deepak Magar, however, is not to be overlooked. The party has stepped up campaigning in Madi, with former lawmaker Bikram Pandey actively canvassing door to door in Magar’s favor.
Chitwan–3 has 174 polling centers and a total of 155,309 registered voters, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral showdown.
