Party-switching before polls remains a persistent problem in Lumbini Province
Summary
Ahead of Nepal's upcoming House of Representatives election, numerous politicians in Lumbini Province, including senior leaders, have switched parties to secure election tickets, highlighting persistent issues of factionalism and opportunism in the region's politics.
Key Points
- Former minister Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rayi switched from Janata Samajwadi Party to CPN (UML) just two days before the nomination deadline to contest from Banke–2.
- Several senior leaders and provincial assembly members in Lumbini Province are changing parties before the upcoming House of Representatives election to secure candidacies.
- Political figures from Nepali Congress, Janata Samajwadi Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, and others have joined various parties like UML, Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Progressive Democratic Party.
- Analysts and political commentators criticize frequent party-switching as a sign of ideological bankruptcy and a distortion of parliamentary politics in Nepal.
