The Nepali Congress has introduced new criteria for recommending candidates for the upcoming National Assembly and House of Representatives elections. The party has instructed its lower committees not to include individuals currently holding elected positions in their recommendation lists.
Each House of Representatives constituency must recommend three potential candidates, including at least one woman, for the National Assembly election on January 25 and the House of Representatives election on March 5. The party has placed clear restrictions on who may be included in these recommendations.
Eligibility Restrictions and Rationale Behind the Policy
The Nepali Congress has stated that the following groups cannot be recommended as candidates: current members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies, individuals who served as proportional representation members of the House of Representatives in 2022, and locally elected representatives who won under the Nepali Congress banner in the 2022 local elections.
These individuals will not be considered for candidacy in the upcoming polls. The party, through two recent circulars, emphasized avoiding repeated selection of the same individuals for election tickets.
Leadership concluded that recurring nominations have caused dissatisfaction at the grassroots and limited opportunities for new entrants, prompting the shift toward prioritizing new candidates. The decision has energized local party members and aspirants who were previously overlooked. A senior Congress official noted, “This step is expected to make the organization more inclusive and dynamic.”
