Gorkha-2 has been in the news in every election since the first Constituent Assembly member election in 2064. In the upcoming House of Representatives election as well, former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai's candidacy registration and withdrawal created a stir in Gorkha-2.

This time, there are 13 candidates in this constituency, including two independents. It is not clear which candidate Bhattarai will support after withdrawing his candidacy. However, cadres of parties close to the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) and the Nepali Samajwadi Party (NSSP) are making various comments on social media saying that Bhattarai will support their candidates. However, the Progressive Democratic Party (Pralopa), an affiliated party of Bhattarai, is watching with great interest who it will support.

This time, there is a fierce competition in Gorkha-2, where Bhattarai and candidates close to the then Maoists have been winning every election since 2064. This time, the NCP has fielded young leader Lekhnath Neupane, who came from student politics, as its candidate.

Prakash Chandra Duwadi, who came to politics through social service from the Congress, is the candidate. The National Independent Party (NSSP) has fielded Kavindra Burlakoti, who is also the general secretary, as its candidate. UML has nominated Milan Gurung (Chakre Milan) as its candidate.

Kalpana Kumal from Aam Janata Party, Tek Bahadur Pradhan from CPN-Maoist, Som Bahadur Gurung from Mongol National Organization, Ram Sharan Budhathoki from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NMP), Balram Tamang from Ujjaya Nepal Party, and Prasad Gurung from National Republic Nepal are the candidates. Similarly, Chuda Prasad Dhakal and Hari Pokharel have filed their candidacies as independent candidates.

Locals say that it is difficult to predict which candidate will win the election in Gorkha-2 as the cadres of the competing parties, the CPN and the Congress, appear divided in the previous election. ‘It seems that the cadres of the former Maoists and the current NCP have also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Congress cadres have also joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the cadres of the two rival parties are becoming fragmented,’ says Shiva Shrestha of Palungtar, ‘After the cadres of the rival parties left the party and joined the new one, it is not a situation that this candidate is strong now, it is not seen that all the votes of the old parties will go to our party.’

The number of voters in Gorkha-2 is 1 lakh 8 thousand 5 hundred 333. In 2079, there were 1 lakh 5 thousand 240 voters in this area. This time, 3 thousand 293 voters have been added. Wards 8 to 14 of Gorkha Municipality, Palungtar Municipality, Siranchowk, Ajirkot and Barpak Sulikot Rural Municipality are in Gorkha-2. 94 polling stations and 150 polling stations have been set up in this area for the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

In the 2064 election, the then Maoist candidate Baburam Bhattarai won from Gorkha-2 by securing 83 percent of the total votes cast. Bhattarai won by securing 46,000 votes with a margin of 40,000 votes, setting a record for being elected by a wide margin from across the country. In the second Constituent Assembly election in 2070, which had 3 constituencies at the time, Bhattarai contested and won from Gorkha-1. In 2070, Maoist Hitraj Pandey won from Gorkha-2.

Bhattarai, who left the Maoists and formed the Naya Shakti Party soon after the constitution was made, contested the 2074 House of Representatives election again from Gorkha-2. After Bhattarai and then senior Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha came face to face, Gorkha-2 attracted attention in 2074 as well. Bhattarai won by securing 31,807 votes from an alliance with the Congress. Shrestha, who became a candidate from an alliance with the UML, had secured 28,933 votes. In the 2079 election, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal himself became a candidate in Gorkha-2. Gorkha-2 came into national focus from the day Dahal came to register his candidacy, placing his 2074 rivals Bhattarai and Shrestha on his right and left. Dahal, who became a candidate through an alliance with the Congress and the then Nepal Samajwadi Party (NESPA), won by securing 26,101 votes. The then Maoist Center and NESP (hashiya hammer election symbol) had secured 19,000 proportional votes.

Dahal's closest competitor, Kavindra Burlakoti of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had secured 12,636 votes. The RSSS had secured 8,999 proportional votes from Gorkha-2 in the 2079 election.

In the 2079 elections, UML had secured 6,185 proportional votes. Uttha party candidate Abdus Miyan came third with 7,392 votes. Congress had secured 11,882 proportional votes. On the direct side, Congress had supported alliance candidate Dahal.
Bhattarai, Dahal, and Shrestha are not candidates in Gorkha-2 in the upcoming House of Representatives elections. The Maoist Center has fielded young leader Lekhnath Neupane, who emerged from student politics. Known as an eloquent speaker, this is Neupane's first electoral experience. He is currently busy canvassing for votes in villages. Although this time's election seems very competitive compared to the past, Constituent Assembly member and NCP leader Parashuram Ramtel claims that the voters will choose the revolutionary force as there is a leftist mass in Gorkha-2. ‘Lekhnathji, who has spent a long time in politics from student politics to now, has his own personality and thoughts. Since Gorkha-2 is an area with educated and political voters since the Panchayat period, I think victory will come easily,’ he said.’

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has fielded General Secretary Kavindra Burlakoti, who was defeated by NCP coordinator Dahal in the previous election. Burlakoti says that since the atmosphere of the new party is visible across the country in this election, it has had a good impact in Gorkha as well. ‘The people’s expectations for change and our party’s change agenda are in line. We came here saying that we will make changes. If the people want change, there is agreement on this,’ he said. ‘This is the basis for a victory.’ Burlakoti claims that the organization is now stronger than in the 2079 election.

Prakash Chandra Duwadi is the candidate from the Congress. Dawadi was elected as a provincial assembly member from Gorkha-2 (2) in the 2074 provincial assembly election, defeating the candidate of the Congress-Maoist alliance. He is active in politics along with social service. Congress District Secretary Kishore Jung Thapa says that the enthusiasm among the workers is also visible since the Congress was able to vote on its own symbol for the first time since the 2070 Constituent Assembly. In the 2074 election, the Congress supported the then Naya Shakti leader Baburam Bhattarai.

In 2079, Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the candidate from the alliance of the CPN-Maoist and the Congress. ‘After 2070, there is a different kind of enthusiasm when the well-wishers of the Congress are able to vote on their own election symbol this time,’ says Thapa. ‘There is no problem in the selection of candidates and distribution of tickets, and the enthusiasm has increased since the candidates are the people preferred by the workers and voters.’ Thapa claims that the party organization itself is working to make Dawadi win the election this time.

UML has fielded Milan Gurung as its candidate in Gorkha-2. Gurung's past background is considered controversial. UML leaders say that the party gave the ticket after seeing Milan's popularity among the youth. UML leaders argue that fielding Milan, who hails from Chitrepokhari, Siranchowk-5, as a candidate will be the main basis for winning the votes of the Gurung community and the youth. Former UML district president Prem Gurung says that Milan Gurung's candidacy has added energy to Gorkha-2.