Gagan endorses Nayan for Dadeldhura seat

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress senior leader and five-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s uninterrupted 34-year parliamentary journey has come to a halt.

Ahead of the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21, Deuba announced that he would not contest, paving the way for young leader Nayan Singh Mahara to carry the party’s legacy in his home district of Dadeldhura.

Mahara, a former president of the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), has secured the ticket to uphold Deuba’s political legacy.

Deuba’s secretariat formally communicated his decision on Monday.

His personal secretary, Bhanu Deuba, confirmed, “Sher Bahadur Deuba will not be a candidate in the upcoming House of Representatives election.”

With Deuba stepping aside, Mahara makes his entry into Dadeldhura’s electoral contest. However, the final formal list of candidates is yet to be announced as the Congress parliamentary board’s meeting is still underway.

While the Dadeldhura district committee had unanimously recommended Deuba, shifting political equations at the central level and internal party power dynamics reportedly influenced the decision.

Following the recent special general convention, which handed leadership to the Gagan Thapa faction, Deuba was under pressure. Sources indicate that after sensing the new leadership’s reluctance to grant him a ticket, the former Prime Minister chose to withdraw voluntarily.

Deuba’s wife, Arju Rana Deuba, also did not receive a ticket this time. Instead, Nar Narayan Shah has been nominated from Kailali-5, replacing Arju. Analysts say the decision was influenced by the couple’s experience during the Janajati-Generation (Gen-Z) movement attack and the ongoing party ‘generation shift’.

A Historic Exit from Parliament

Having dominated Dadeldhura politics since 2048 BS, Deuba’s withdrawal marks the end of an era in Nepali politics.

First elected as a lawmaker on Baisakh 29, 2048 BS, after the 2046 BS political transformation, Deuba remained undefeated in seven consecutive elections (2051, 2056, 2064, 2070, 2074, and 2079 BS).

Five-time Prime Minister Deuba, who famously remarked that an astrologer predicted he would serve seven terms as Prime Minister, now sees his dream of returning to the top post come to a complete halt.

Born in Ruwakhola, Dadeldhura, 2003 BS, Deuba entered politics in 2017 BS, becoming Home Minister in 2048 BS and Prime Minister for the first time in 2052 BS. Known for his determination and bold leadership, Deuba’s resonant voice in Parliament will no longer be heard after this election.

Now, the spotlight shifts to Nayan Singh Mahara, as voters in Dadeldhura decide whether the young leader can carry forward Deuba’s enduring political legacy.