Rupandehi-3 By-Election Seen as Test Run for 2027 National Polls

Political parties in Nepal are treating the upcoming Rupandehi Constituency-3 by-election, scheduled for November 2, 2025 (Kartik 17, 2082 BS), as a “mini referendum” that could hint at the results of the 2027 (2084 BS) general elections.

The ruling Nepali Congress, the main opposition CPN-UML, and the rising force Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) are all viewing this contest as a matter of prestige.

Background of the By-Election

The by-election was triggered by the death of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) MP Deepak Bohora, who had defeated Congress leader and then-Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand in the 2022 (2079 BS) elections with UML’s backing.

In that election, Congress led a five-party coalition including the Maoist Centre, while UML had alliances with Janata Samajbadi Party and RPP. The RSP had not fielded a direct candidate then.

Historically, Congress and UML have been the main contenders in Rupandehi-3, alternating wins except for Bohora’s two victories in 2013 (2070 BS) and 2022 (2079 BS), which were largely credited to strong alliances and personal influence.

Congress Yet to Announce Candidate

The ruling Nepali Congress has not officially named its candidate but names like Pramod Yadav, Ram Chandra Dhakal, and Sushil Gurung are in discussion.
Party leaders including General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma and Publicity Department Chief Min Bishwakarma recently visited the constituency to gauge voter sentiment.

“We aim to field a fresh, popular, and winnable candidate,” Bishwakarma said. “While we do not see this purely as a preview of the 2084 elections, the results will reflect the current national mood, so it is a matter of prestige for us.”

UML’s Likely Pick

The UML is informally considering former National Assembly member Khim Lal Bhattarai as its candidate, though no official announcement has been made.
According to UML insiders, party chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has instructed Bhattarai to prepare for the race.

UML Lumbini in-charge Padma Aryal said the district committee has been asked to recommend three names, with a final decision pending.

Maoist and Socialist Alliance Talks

The Maoist Centre has said its upcoming office-bearers’ meeting will decide whether to field a joint candidate with the Socialist Front (Maoist Centre, Unified Socialist, and CPN) or go solo.
In the last election, the Maoists had secured fourth place in the constituency.

RSP’s Transparent Selection Process

The Rastriya Swatantra Party views Rupandehi-3 as a “referendum” for 2084 and has made the by-election its top priority.
On July 21, 2025 (Shrawan 5, 2082 BS), the party opened applications for candidates, receiving nine entries, including Sulav Kharel, Parthivendra Upadhyay, Lekh Jung Thapa, Gyanu Poudel, Jit Bahadur Gupta, Kusum Maharjan, Rachana Chhetri, Poonam Kumari Agrawal, and Madhu Prasad Aryal.

Central member Ganesh Parajuli said the candidate will be chosen through an internal primary election. Based on 2079 proportional votes, Congress was first, UML second, and RSP third in the constituency.

RPP’s Possible Candidates

The RPP has recommended six names, including Bohora’s sons Captain Gaurav Bohora and Engineer Prajwal Bohora, along with district chair and municipality mayor Sagar Pratap Rana, central member Basant Bikram Shahi, member Swati Thapa, and advocate Dilip Kumar Mallik.

In the last election, Deepak Bohora had defeated Bal Krishna Khand by 2,681 votes.

Why This By-Election Matters

Rupandehi-3 is geographically, socially, and politically diverse, with both Madhesi and Hill populations. Leaders believe its results could serve as a representative indicator of the national mood ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Analysts say Congress and UML remain the main rivals, but RSP is the biggest emerging challenge. If RSP wins, it could significantly impact national politics in 2084.

The Janamat Party, led by CK Raut, has announced it will contest alone, aiming to test its independent electoral appeal.