Former Nepal PM opts out of March polls, ending a 34-year parliamentary career
January 20, 2026: Veteran Nepali leader and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will not contest the upcoming House of Representatives election on March 5, his secretariat confirmed on Tuesday. The announcement effectively brings to a close Deuba’s 34-year-long parliamentary journey that began with his first election from Dadeldhura in 1991. Deuba, who has served as Prime Minister five times, was once again eyeing a return to the top post, but a series of political setbacks over the past year derailed his ambitions.
Deuba’s prospects dimmed sharply after the collapse of the K P Sharma Oli-led government following a Gen-Z-led political revolt last September, which disrupted a prior power-sharing understanding between the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN (UML). His position weakened further in January when the Nepali Congress elected new leadership under Gagan Thapa through a Special General Convention, a move later recognised by the Election Commission. As Deuba loyalists gradually shifted allegiance to the new leadership, his faction was left politically isolated, prompting his decision to step away from electoral contests altogether.
Despite stepping aside, Deuba’s influence continues to shape the party’s transition. The Thapa-led leadership has nominated Deuba loyalist Nain Singh Mahar from his long-held constituency, signalling an attempt to prevent internal fractures within the Congress. Deuba’s exit marks the end of an era in Nepali politics, alongside contemporaries like K P Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, even as rising public pressure—particularly from younger voters—reshapes the country’s political landscape and challenges the dominance of long-standing leaders.