KATHMANDU: Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, the chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) and former prime minister, is once again making headlines for his unconventional electoral strategy—switching constituencies in nearly every election.

From the Maoist heartland of Rolpa to the plains of Siraha, the urban battleground of Kathmandu, and the hills of Gorkha, Prachanda has never shied away from changing his political turf.

Now, as Nepal gears up for another election cycle, he has set his sights on Kaski, his birthplace, signaling a strategic and emotional return to his roots.

Prachanda’s electoral journey began in 2008 CA elections when he contested from both Rolpa-2, a Maoist stronghold, and Kathmandu-10, testing his urban appeal.

He won both seats but later abandoned Rolpa, focusing instead on Kathmandu. However, after a defeat in the capital in 2013, he turned to Siraha-5 in the southern plains, proving his ability to sway voters beyond the hills.

In 2017, he shifted to Chitwan-3, where his childhood ties helped secure a victory under a left alliance.

Most recently, in 2022, he moved to Gorkha-2, capitalizing on the legacy of fellow Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, and won comfortably.

Now, Prachanda has hinted at contesting from Kaski, his birthplace, during a Maoist conference in Pokhara.

His remarks about “changing Kaski and Pokhara’s political map within 6 to 8 months” suggest a well-calculated move.

Beyond electoral strategy, this shift carries emotional weight—Prachanda was born in Annapurna Rural Municipality (formerly Dhikurpokhari-2) and began his education in Kaski before moving to Chitwan.

His possible return has already energized local Maoist cadres, who see it as a revival of their leader’s connection to his origins.

The Maoists, once the dominant force in Nepali politics, have slipped to third place, a decline Prachanda openly acknowledges.

To regain momentum, he is courting dissident leaders from other parties, signaling a possible reunification of fractured Maoist factions.

If Prachanda does contest from Kaski, it will be more than just another electoral gamble—it will be a symbolic homecoming for the rebel leader who reshaped Nepal’s political history.

Whether this move reignites his party’s fading influence or becomes another footnote in his long career remains to be seen.

But one thing is certain: Prachanda’s relentless reinvention keeps him at the center of Nepal’s ever-evolving political drama.