Rukum East, Jan. 19 -- Pushpa Kamal Dahal, coordinator of Nepali Communist Party and leader of the Maoist insurgency, has once again shifted his electoral constituency. For the upcoming election of the House of Representatives slated for March 5, Dahal, also a former prime minister, has opted for Rukum East, a district long regarded as a bastion of the Maoist movement.

While addressing a party mass meeting in neighbouring Rukum West recently, Dahal publicly revealed his plan to contest from Rukum East. Party insiders say Dahal's decision to contest from Rukum East is almost certain, with only formal nomination remaining.

Dahal has a history of hopping constituencies. Over the years, Dahal has chosen constituencies where the Maoists enjo...