Gorkha, Feb. 9 -- Gorkha Constituency 2 has remained one of the country's most closely watched electoral constituencies in every election since the first Constituent Assembly polls in 2008. The upcoming House of Representatives election has once again drawn national attention with the candidacy registration and subsequent withdrawal of former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, who served as second-in-command of the 1996-2006 Maoist insurgency. The poll result is wide open as rival parties are closely watching which of his party, the Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party (PLP) will ultimately support.

Thirteen candidates, including two independents, are contesting for the snap parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5. Yet, more than the candi...