Nepal, Oct. 28 -- A political force once known for its defiance of the state is now preparing to contest elections. The Netra Bikram Chand 'Biplab'-led Maoist faction, long operating on the fringes of Nepal's political landscape, has taken a decisive step toward parliamentary politics by registering a new party-the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) - with the Election Commission (EC) to participate in the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election.

On Tuesday afternoon, a delegation led by party spokesperson Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma arrived at the EC headquarters in Kathmandu, carrying the documents that would mark the faction's official entry into Nepal's multiparty democratic system. The move, officials say, positions the party to ta...