Pokhara, 16 February | Kaski Constituency No. 3 has emerged as a high-profile electoral battlefield as the House of Representatives election approaches. This constituency, which holds significance as the birthplace and ancestral home of CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, is witnessing a multi-cornered contest involving major political heavyweights and rising alternative forces. Although there were previous efforts to field Prachanda from this region due to his deep familial roots in Annapurna Rural Municipality, he eventually chose Gorkha-2 for perceived safety. Currently, the CPN-UML has re-nominated its previous winner Damodar Bairagi, while the Nepali Congress, which supported a Maoist candidate in the previous cycle, has fielded energetic young leader Manoj Gurung. Adding a significant twist to the race, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has introduced Bina Gurung, one of its few female candidates, aiming to capitalize on the “wave of change” and the region’s ethnic demographics.
The electoral data from 2079 highlights a historical dominance of the CPN-UML in this sector. Damodar Bairagi secured victory with 22,980 votes in the last election, defeating Maoist candidate Ramji Baral, who managed 17,535 votes. A surprising factor in the previous tally was the performance of the RSP’s Yograj Paudel, who garnered over 12,000 votes, signaling a shift in voter sentiment. For the upcoming polls, the total number of voters has increased to 107,560, covering various urban wards of Pokhara and the rural landscapes of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre. The presence of 15 candidates in total, including Arjun Khanal from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) with his pro-monarchy agenda and Gopal Giri from the Unified CPN, ensures that the competition will be fierce across both urban and rural pockets of the constituency.
The political history of Kaski-3 is marked by a legacy of shifting allegiances. While UML’s Somnath Adhikari won in 2048, the Nepali Congress dominated the 2051 and 2056 elections. The Maoists tasted success during the 2064 Constituent Assembly polls with Durga BK, but the seat eventually returned to UML and coalition hands in subsequent cycles. This year, the Nepali Congress is running solo, and candidate Manoj Gurung has managed to consolidate the party’s base following General Secretary Gagan Thapa’s emotional appeal to voters to return to the ‘Tree’ symbol. Meanwhile, UML’s Bairagi remains confident, emphasizing the need for continuity in national politics and local development. From the shadows of the Annapurna range to the shores of Phewa Lake, the candidates are traversing difficult terrains to win over voters, making Kaski-3 one of the most unpredictable and closely watched constituencies in the 2026 election.
