The “Big Battle” in Jhapa-5: Balen Shah vs. KP Oli

The nation’s attention is fixed on Jhapa-5, where Kathmandu’s former mayor Balen Shah is officially challenging CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli in his home turf. This face-off between the “Gen-Z” favorite and the veteran leader is being hailed as the ultimate symbol of the 2026 election, representing a direct clash between the old political guard and rising independent forces.