Nepal will hold a national election next month, its first since deadly youth-led anti-graft protests toppled the government of then-Prime Minister K.P. As the Himalayan nation prepares for the March 5 polls, here is a look at the key contenders, and what is at stake. ADVERTISEMENTTHE VOTERSNearly 19 million of Nepal's 30 million people are eligible to vote in the March 5 election for the 275-member assembly. KEY CONTENDERSRapper-turned-politician and former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, 35, of the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party is among the frontrunners for prime minister. Other contenders include the centrist Nepali Congress party's 49-year-old Gagan Thapa and three-time prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, 71, who now leads the Nepali Communist Party.

Source: The Telegraph February 26, 2026 07:30 UTC