The political climate in Jhapa-5 has heated up after Balendra Shah, a senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, signalled his intention to contest the House of Representatives elections from the constituency.

The potential candidacy has triggered fresh debate, particularly among youth leaders affiliated with various political parties, many of whom see the upcoming election as an opportunity for leadership transition. Jhapa-5, long dominated by familiar faces and entrenched power centres, is now witnessing renewed discussion on political change.

The constituency is also closely tied to the political identity of CPN-UML chair and four-time prime minister KP Sharma Oli and is widely regarded as his stronghold. Oli was elected from the constituency with a wide margin of 28,842 votes in the 2017 elections. Oli received 57,139 votes while his closest rival, Khagendra Adhikari of Nepali Congress, got 28,297 votes. Against that backdrop, Shah’s possible entry is being viewed as a direct challenge to established political parties.

Youth at the centre of debate

Youth leaders across party lines have emerged as key voices in the debate. Many argue that generational shift is no longer optional. A UML-affiliated youth leader, who preferred not to be named, said leadership change has become essential, adding that exploitative and rigid political practices must be replaced.

Youth leaders close to the Nepali Congress agree on the need for a generational shift but express caution about candidates entering the race from outside the constituency. A Congress-affiliated youth leader said leadership renewal should emerge from local political struggle rather than popularity alone, stressing that long-term responsibility requires policy clarity and understanding of local needs.

Rastriya Swatantra Party youth leader Devi Prasad Pathak said the party is considering Shah’s candidacy only after gauging voter sentiment across Jhapa-5. “This is not a reckless decision. Everything is being carefully assessed,” he said. According to Pathak, voter psychology this time reflects a desire to back Shah just as Oli was earlier supported to become prime minister.

Pathak said dialogue has already begun with Gen Z voters in the constituency and claimed that youth leaders from other parties are also responding positively to the prospect of a new face.

Gen Z activists formally launched their awareness campaign from Damak, Jhapa, on December 14. Addressing the programme, Gen Z leaders Raksha Bam, Uparjun Chamling and Yatish Ojha said the country was closely watching whether Jhapa-5 would embrace a young candidate. Bam said the sacrifices made during the movement, including bloodshed on September 8, should not go in vain.

UML-affiliated youth leaders say they see Shah’s possible candidacy as a challenge rather than a rejection. UML youth leader Santosh Dulal said Oli is not a new figure for Jhapa-5, citing his contributions to development, party organisation and national politics. He said questioning by youth is positive, but expressed confidence that voters would ultimately decide based on local contribution rather than social media influence.

The debate unfolding in Jhapa-5 goes beyond Shah’s candidacy. It has evolved into a broader question of whether leadership transition will be limited to replacing faces or bring bigger changes in political thinking and working style.

Reports that Shah has already conducted a preliminary survey of the constituency’s development status and local needs have added seriousness to the discussion. News of a possible formal announcement through social media has further heightened youth interest.

As many young voters put it, the key question is no longer who wins, but what kind of politics prevails.