Nepal, Jan. 1 -- These are exciting times for the 19 million-strong Nepali electorate. As the country enters 2026, perhaps the most consequential elections since the first Constituent Assembly polls in 2008 are upon us. Competing for people's votes on March 5 will be established forces such as the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the two stalwarts of post-1990 Nepali politics. Arrayed against them, new outfits like the revamped Rastriya Swatantra Party, the Gatisheel Loktantrik Party and the Shram Sanskriti Party.

Many Nepalis feel these newer outfits focused on anti-corruption and development agendas-and the host of clean and capable election candidates they are fielding-give them a real option to the Congress-UML duopoly. Yet there are...