Hit by Nepal's Gen Z Uprising, Former PMs Sher Bahadur Deuba and Jhala Nath Khanal to Skip March Polls

New Delhi: Two of Nepal’s former prime ministers – Sher Bahadur Deuba and Jhala Nath Khanal – whose homes were set on fire during the unrest following the Gen Z protests last year have decided to not contest in the elections scheduled for March 5, The Times of India reported.

This is the first time since the restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal in the 1990s that Deuba and Khanal will not be contesting from the constituencies that had become synonymous with their names. 

Deuba, five-time prime minister and senior leader of Nepali Congress, has contested from Dadeldhura every election since 1991. The constituency, tied economically and socially to neighbouring Uttarakhand on the Indian side through migration, trade and kinship networks, has been his bastion for nearly 40 years.

According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, Deuba initially indicated that he intended to seek re-election. However, during the party's restructuring, and after a prolonged debate on whether to give him a ticket, Deuba himself announced he would not contest. 

His withdrawal reportedly stirred an internal upheaval within Nepali Congress. 

Khanal, also a former prime minister and a senior leader of Nepal Communist Party (UML), holds a strong political presence in the Ilam constituency, bordering West Bengal's Darjeeling, has represented the constituency over multiple terms spanning decades.

In September 2025, a Gen Z movement in Nepal stirred monumental changes over a span of 48 hours, but especially on the second day when the mourning over the death of 19 protesters turned into an uprising as people came out on the streets despite strict curfews and began vandalising everything that came their way.

During this unrest, Deuba and his wife, Aarzoo Rana Deuba, were physically assaulted. Both appeared to be bleeding, in videos that surfaced online, while other ministers too were escorted to safety in Nepal Army helicopters, and leaders across political parties had fled their homes for fear of their lives.

Deuba’s was also among the residences set on fire, while Khanal's residence in Ilam also came under attack. 

Following the developments, Khanal had informed the UML leadership that he would not contest this election, stating he wished to leave space for younger leaders.

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