Siraha, Jan. 27 -- Madhesh Province, which sends 32 members to the House of Representatives, has emerged as one of the most closely watched electoral battlegrounds, with 1,054 candidates contesting the polls. Dhanusha has the highest number of candidates at 154, while Saptari has the fewest, with 104.

Home to the country's largest population, Madhesh has long been considered the stronghold of Madhesh-based parties. But major national forces-the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP)-have consistently invested heavily in the region in a bid to expand their footprint, making each election fiercely competitive.

This time, the contest is marked by an unusual mix: senior leaders abandoning long-held parties, former...