Ghising-backed ‘Ujyaalo Nepal Party’ to Register with Election Commission

KATHMANDU, Nov 12 — The Ujyaalo Nepal Party, backed by Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, is set to be officially registered with the Election Commission on Wednesday. The new political force will be led by former energy secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyay and will initially include 51 founding members, according to party insiders.

Among the key figures in the party are actress and TV presenter Reema Bishwokarma, Professor Mahendra Lawati, and independent provincial lawmaker Tara Prasad Joshi from Dadeldhura ‘B’. Other notable members include Shri Gurung, Shankar Dhakal, Dr Raju Thapa, Dr Bishal Bhandari, and Sita Pandey. Tashi Lhazom, who had earlier been discussed as a potential minister in the interim government, has also joined the party.

Party co-founder Jitram Lama said the group unanimously decided to form the new political force under Upadhyay’s leadership, emphasizing that all members will focus on institution-building. “For now, there will only be the position of party chair,” Lama noted.

Registration Process Underway

Although the team had initially planned to register the party on Tuesday, paperwork delays postponed the process by a day. Chairperson Upadhyay explained that the group reached the Commission office late, and completing all documentation required more time.

He stated that the Ujyaalo Nepal Party will be guided by principles of liberal democracy and balanced ideology.

“We are neither extreme left nor extreme right,” said Upadhyay. “Our policies will support a liberal economy with special focus on social security and the values that emerged from the Gen Z movement.”

Ghising’s Role and Political Future

While Energy Minister Kulman Ghising is not formally joining the party at this stage, insiders say he is expected to resign and enter politics ahead of the March 5 elections. A senior source at the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Ghising is likely to step down about a month before the elections to contest a parliamentary seat under the new party banner.

Ghising has been actively involved in the party formation process, holding consultations both within Nepal and abroad. After his dismissal as head of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) by the KP Sharma Oli government in March, Ghising had publicly expressed his intent to enter politics, engaging with various parties including the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

However, following the Gen Z movement in early September — after which he was appointed as minister for energy, water resources, and irrigation — the party formation process was put on hold under his name.

Background and Political Dynamics

During a student interaction at the South Asian University in New Delhi on October 29, Ghising stated that he was waiting to “bring more people together” before launching a new political force. He revealed that he had received multiple proposals since 2016 to start a party. “We don’t have much time,” Ghising said. “Once I return to Nepal, we will reach some sort of conclusion.” He returned to Kathmandu the following day.

When questioned by journalists about ministers forming political parties, Prime Minister Sushila Karki denied that members of her cabinet were preparing to contest elections. Ghising, however, remained silent on the matter during the interaction.

On November 4, Ghising took to Facebook to reject reports of his resignation.

“I am seriously concerned about media claims that I am resigning,” he wrote. “There is no truth to these reports. I remain committed to fulfilling the trust and responsibility given by the people through the Gen Z movement.”

Failed Alliance Talks

Earlier efforts were made to form a joint political front involving Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, former RSP lawmaker Sumana Shrestha, and Gen Z representative Sudan Gurung. The group had initially planned to register under the name Nepal Janasewa Party, but internal disagreements prevented consensus.

According to Upadhyay, “Although we couldn’t move forward together, we have agreed to explore possibilities of cooperation by the time of the elections.”

Sources familiar with the discussions said the group had proposed registering the party under Ghising’s leadership, but his reluctance to immediately resign from the government led to the split. As a result, Upadhyay and his team proceeded with the registration of the Ujyaalo Nepal Party independently.

With registration imminent, the new party’s entry marks another major development in Nepal’s evolving post-Gen Z political landscape — one aiming to bridge technocratic expertise with grassroots reformist aspirations.