Among the key figures is KP Sharma Oli, the 74-year-old Marxist leader ousted as prime minister last year. A local defeat for either man would likely end his bid to become prime minister. “We have had a difficult few years with old leadership, and we need new energy,” 50-year-old bus driver Pawan Jha told AFP, as he attended Shah’s rally in Jhapa. “Gen Z’s number one demand is good governance, because there is a high level of corruption in the country,” Shah told AFP. But he is not the only one wooing the youth vote.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 02, 2026 13:17 UTC