It was last October. Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai publicly announced his retirement from active politics.

After Durga Sob was handed over the responsibility of the then Nepal Socialist Party (New Power), he said that he would study and reflect on policy-making for the benefit of the country. After such an announcement, Bhattarai could not stay away from politics for a few days. Instead, he played a role in forming a progressive democratic party by bringing together former Maoist Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma and former Chief Whip of the National Independent Party Santosh Pariyar.

But as the election approached, he entered the election fray as if he had forgotten his own promise. He has again become a direct candidate, citing the demands of the voters of Gorkha-2. This time, his competition is sure to be challenging with the Congress, UML, CPN and the National Independent Party.

Bhattarai, who has been saying that he will establish a culture of sacrifice in politics, has put forward five grounds for his candidacy this time.

To contribute to the work of protecting national independence, sovereignty and geographical integrity by protecting it from the changing geopolitical situation and international strategic confrontation; He has said that in the context of the increasing conflict and disagreement between new and old political parties and within the parties, the federal democratic republic itself may be in crisis, and to contribute to the defense of democracy by playing a coordinating and guardian role; in the context of the 'Gen-G' rebellion and the completion of ten years of the constitution-making by the Constituent Assembly, the House of Representatives should play a necessary role as a major builder of the constitution for the necessary amendments and reforms in the constitution.

Bhattarai had vacated this seat for the then Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the 2079 elections. After Dahal won the election, relations between them cooled.

Bhattarai is a candidate from the Progressive Democratic Party in Gorkha-2. Bhattarai has won the first, second Constituent Assembly and the 2074 elections. This is his fourth contest.

Bhattarai has already started going door-to-door explaining the reason for his candidacy from Gorkha-2. After receiving tika and prasad from the main priest of Gorakhnath, he has embarked on the election campaign.

Former Prime Minister Bhattarai is not alone in contesting the elections. Former Prime Minister and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has been running as a candidate from Jhapa since 2048. In the meantime, he has suffered only one defeat. This time, he is competing with Balendra Shah, a senior leader of the National Independent Party and former mayor of Kathmandu.

Maoist candidate Bishwadeep Lingden defeated Oli in the first Constituent Assembly election in 2064. Oli had won from the first general election held in 2048 after the people's movement, to the House of Representatives elections in 2051 and 2056, 2070 and the elections in 2074 and 2079 after the promulgation of the constitution. Having been Prime Minister three times, the UML has once again put him forward as the future Prime Minister.

This time, Oli is set to face an interesting competition with Balendra. It seems that he will have to work hard to face Balendra, who has come to contest in his home district. He is under election 'target' after resigning from the post of Prime Minister due to the 'Gen-G' movement. His competition this time with senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Balendra is as tough as it was with the Maoists in the 2064 Constituent Assembly elections.

Oli, who became the chairman for the third term from the 11th General Convention, also has the challenge of preserving the party's old legacy.

Another former prime minister who has been in the continuous election race is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party. Dahal has a history of winning four elections since 2064 and becoming the prime minister three times. He has reached Rukum East to run as a candidate after winning Kathmandu-10, Rolpa-2, Siraha-5, Chitwan-3, Gorkha-2. He has faced a relatively smaller challenge this time, having lost Kathmandu-10 once in 2070.

The main reason for choosing Rukum East, which was the base area of ​​the armed struggle of the former Maoists, is that it is easier to win the election. This time, Dahal has joined forces with 20 parties and groups, including the Unified Socialist Party, and has changed the party and election symbol. After registering his nomination, he said that the constituency change that started from Rolpa in 2064 BS could be the last one in Rukum East.

‘This may be my last direct election in Rukum, starting from Rolpa. This has become a record in itself. Starting from Rolpa, established as a central base area, and coming to Rukum, established as a central base area, and filing my candidacy has become a matter of pride for me,’ he said, ‘The election meeting is fresh in my mind. The meeting that ended the nearly 250-year-old monarchy in Nepal and opened the door to a federal democratic republic in the country is in Rukum East.’

He also expressed his commitment to make Rukum East his headquarters. ‘A new record has been set and the country will see a new campaign from Rukum. Wherever I go now, the party headquarters will be there. Now, coming to Rukum, Rukum will be the headquarters,’ he said. He has even started the election campaign in Rukum East.

The Maoists have started their election campaign by inspecting the destroyed police structure and meeting the families of the martyrs after attacking in 2058 Baisakh. When he saw locals lighting fire with firewood during his morning walk, he jokingly said to the locals, ‘Firing fire is for the old, heating fire is for the old.’

Another former Prime Minister seen in the election field is former Prime Minister and NCP coordinator Madhav Kumar Nepal. He is contesting the House of Representatives for the sixth time. After uniting with the Maoists and Unified Socialists, he is contesting the election under the name of a new party from the NCP.

He separated from the UML in 2078 Bhadra and formed the Unified Socialists. Although his party failed to become a national party in the last election, it won ten seats through an alliance.