Former prime minister and CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli has filed his candidacy from Jhapa-5, making the constituency one of the most talked-about seats in the upcoming election.
Jhapa-5 has also seen the entry of Balendra Shah, widely known as Balen, the former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and a senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The party has projected Shah as its prime ministerial candidate, turning the contest against Oli into a high-profile race.
The Nepali Communist Party has fielded former student leader Ranjit Tamang from the same constituency.
Shah resigned as Kathmandu mayor earlier this week to contest the election. Popular among young voters and with a strong social media following, he drew large crowds when he reached Jhapa on Tuesday to file his nomination.
Major political figures in the race predict a close and competitive contest in Jhapa-5. Brief clashes were reported between supporters of Oli and Shah after the nominations were filed.
