List of political parties in Nepal

The following is the list of political parties in Nepal registered in the Election Commission.^[1]

National parties

A party registered with the Election Commission of Nepal is recognised as a national party only if it fulfils the two conditions listed below:^[2]^[3]

The party needs to win at least one FPTP seat in Pratinidhi Sabha.
The party gets at least 3% of the total valid proportional representation (PR) votes in Pratinidhi Sabha.

There are currently eight national parties in Nepal.^[4]

Party		Founded	Political position	Ideology	Leader	Federal Parliament		Provincial Assemblies							Local government
Party		Founded	Political position	Ideology	Leader	Pratinidhi Sabha	Rastriya Sabha	Koshi	Madhesh	Bagmati	Gandaki	Lumbini	Karnali	Sudurpashchim	Heads	Councillors
	Nepali Congress नेपाली काँग्रेस	1950	Centre to centre-left	Social democracy Third way	Sher Bahadur Deuba	88 / 275	16 / 59	29 / 93	22 / 107	37 / 110	27 / 60	27 / 87	15 / 40	18 / 53	331 / 753	13,773 / 35,097
	Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (एमाले)	1991	Left-wing^[5]	Communism Marxism–Leninism People's Multiparty Democracy	KP Sharma Oli	79 / 275	11 / 59	40 / 93	23 / 107	27 / 110	22 / 60	29 / 87	10 / 40	10 / 53	205 / 753	11,929 / 35,097
	Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre)^[a] नेपाल कमयुनिस्ट पार्टी (माओवादी केन्द्र)	1994	Far-left	Communism Prachanda Path	Pushpa Kamal Dahal	32 / 275	18 / 59	13 / 93	7 / 107	21 / 110	7 / 60	9 / 87	13 / 40	11 / 53	121 / 753	5,045 / 35,097
	Rastriya Swatantra Party (National Independent Party) राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टी	2022	Centre to Centre-right	Economic liberalism	Rabi Lamichhane	21 / 275	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टी	1990	Centre-right to right-wing	Constitutional monarchism Economic liberalism Hindutva	Rajendra Prasad Lingden	14 / 275	—	6 / 93	1 / 107	13 / 110	2 / 60	4 / 87	1 / 40	1 / 53	4 / 753	305 / 35,097
	People's Socialist Party जनता समाजवादी पार्टी	2024	Centre-left to left-wing	Democratic socialism Minority rights	Ashok Rai	7 / 275	—	1 / 93	—	—	—	2 / 87	—	—	5 / 753	248 / 35,097
	Janamat Party (Public Opinion Party) जनमत पार्टी	2019	Centre-left	Social democracy Regionalism Madheshi rights	Chandra Kant Raut	6 / 275	—	—	13 / 107	—	—	3 / 87	—	—	2 / 753	96 / 35,097
	People's Socialist Party, Nepal जनता समाजवादी पार्टी, नेपाल	2020	Centre-left to left-wing	Democratic socialism Minority rights	Upendra Yadav	5 / 275	3 / 59	—	19 / 107	—	—	1 / 87	—	—	25 / 753	1,300 / 35,097

^ a: The NSP only collaborated with the CPN (MC) for the 2022 Nepalese general election using CPN (MC)'s election symbol as a common symbol for both the parties.^[6] Out of their 32 seats combined in the 2nd Federal Parliament of Nepal, 2 seats are of the NSP: Mahindra Ray Yadav elected directly and Umrawati Devi Yadav from the PR Category. The NSP alone did not secure a national party status.

Other parties currently represented in the Federal parliament

A political party securing less than 3% of the PR votes will have to send its directly elected or FPTP candidates to the parliament as independent lawmakers. In other words, candidates from any political party failing to meet the criteria to become a national party will be ineligible to be represented in parliament as a party.^[2]^[7]

There are currently five such political parties which failed to achieve national status yet are represented in Nepal's Parliament.^[4]

Party		Founded	Political position	Ideology	Leader	Federal Parliament		Provincial Assemblies							Local government
Party		Founded	Political position	Ideology	Leader	Pratinidhi Sabha	Rastriya Sabha	Koshi	Madhesh	Bagmati	Gandaki	Lumbini	Karnali	Sudur pashchim	Heads	Councillors
	Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) नेपाल कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी (एकीकृत समाजवादी)	2021	Left-wing	Communism Marxist–Leninism People's Multiparty Democracy	Madhav Kumar Nepal	10 / 275	8 / 59	4 / 93	7 / 107	7 / 110	1 / 60	1 / 87	1 / 40	4 / 53	20 / 753	987 / 35,097
	Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal (Democratic Socialist Party, Nepal) लोकतान्त्रिक समाजवादी पार्टी, नेपाल	2021	Centre-left	Social democracy Third way	Mahantha Thakur	4 / 275	1 / 59	—	9 / 107	—	—	3 / 87	—	—	16 / 753	581 / 35,097
	Nagrik Unmukti Party (People's Freedom Party) नागरिक उन्मुक्ति पार्टी	2022	Centre-left	Social democracy Tharu rights	Ranjeeta Shrestha	3 / 275	—	—	1 / 107	—	—	4 / 87	—	8 / 53	4 / 753	99 / 35,097
	Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers Peasants Party) नेपाल मजदुर किसान पार्टी	1975	Far-left	Marxism–Leninism Maoism Juche	Narayan Man Bijukchhe	1 / 275	—	—	—	3 / 110	—	—	—	—	1 / 753	85 / 35,097
	Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front) राष्ट्रिय जनमोर्चा	2006	Far-left	Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-federalism	Chitra Bahadur K.C.	1 / 275	1 / 59	—	—	—	—	1 / 87	—	—	4 / 753	159 / 35,097

Parties currently represented only in provincial assemblies

Party		Founded	Political position	Leader	Provincial Assemblies		Local government
Party		Founded	Political position	Leader	Provincial Assemblies		Head	Councillors	Local councils
	Hamro Nepali Party (Our Nepali Party) हाम्रो नेपाली पार्टी	2022	Big tent	Ananta Raj Ghimire	Bagmati	2 / 110	—	—	—
	Nepal Federal Socialist Party नेपाल संघीय समाजवादी पार्टी	2016	Centre-left	Mohammad Rizwan Ansari	Madhesh	1 / 107	—	—	—

Parties represented only in local government

Party		Political position	Leader	Local government
Party		Political position	Leader	Head	Councillors	Local councils
	People's Progressive Party जनता प्रगतिशील पार्टी	Centre-left	Hridayesh Tripathi	1 / 753	22 / 35,097	Marchawari
	Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (Terai Madhesh Democratic Party) तराई-मधेस लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी		Brikhesh Chandra Lal	1 / 753	12 / 35,097	Janakpur & Mahottari
	Bibeksheel Sajha Party विवेकशील साझा पार्टी		Samikshya Baskota	1 / 753	11 / 35,097	Pheta
	Nepal Janata Party (Nepal People's Party) नेपाल जनता पार्टी	Right-wing	Tribhuvan Nath Pathak	—	10 / 35,097	Kamala & Kotahimai
	Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Federal Democratic National Front) संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक राष्ट्रिय मञ्च	Centre-left	Kumar Lingden	—	9 / 35,097	Chulachuli, Kankai, Pathibhara Yanwarak & Sidingwa
	Nepali Congress (B.P.) नेपाली कांग्रेस (बि.पी.)	Centre-left	Sushil Man Sherchan	—	7 / 35,097	Amargadhi & Ganyapadhura
	Nepal Loktantrik Party (Nepal Democratic Party) नेपाल लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी	Centre-left	Bhanuram Dagaura Tharu	—	7 / 35,097	Kalaiya & Lamki Chuha
	Rastriya Janamukti Party (National People's Liberation Party) राष्ट्रिय जनमुक्ति पार्टी	Centre-left	Khadak Prasad Palungwa	—	7 / 35,097	Butwal, Kaligandaki & Mangsebung
	Bahujan Shakti Party (Bahujan Power Party) बहुजन शक्ति पार्टी	Centre-left	Bishwendra Paswan	—	6 / 35,097	Krishnanagar & Lakshminiya
	Bahujan Ekata Party Nepal (Bahujan Unity Party Nepal) बहुजन एकता पार्टी नेपाल	Left-wing	Harinandan Kumar Ranjan	—	5 / 35,097	Barahathawa
	Nepal Sushashan Party (Nepal Good Governance Party) नेपाल सुशासन पार्टी		Ramesh Prasad Kharel	—	4 / 35,097	Pokhariya
	Communist Party of Nepal Maoist Socialist नेपाल कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी माओवादी समाजवादी	Left-wing	Karnajit Budhathoki	—	2 / 35,097	Sarkegadh
	Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Nepal Goodwill Party) नेपाल सद्भावना पार्टी		Ram Kumar Mahato	—	1 / 35,097	Chhinnamasta

Other parties

Party	Political position	Leader
Nepal Pariwar Dal	Centre-right	Ek Nath Dhakal
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist)	Left-wing	Chandra Prakash Mainali
Shree Mahendra Dal(Shreemad), Nepal		Sushil K. Bisht
Khambuwan Rashtriya Morcha, Nepal		Ram Kumar Rai
Bouddhik Prajatantrik Parishad		Laxman Rajbanshi
Jana Jagaran Party Nepal		Lokmani Dhakal
Samajvadi Janata Party	Centre-left	Prem Bahadur Singh
Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Tharuhat)		Rukmini Chaudhary
Madhesh Terai Forum		Amar Yadav
Nepal Communist Party (Marxist)	Far-left	Prakash Adhikari
Communist Party of Nepal	Far-left	Rishi Ram Kattel
Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Madhesh		Bhagya Nath Gupta
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist-Socialist)	Far-left	Bishnu Raj Aryal
Shiva Sena Nepal	Right-wing to far-right	Arun Subedi
Nepal Sukumbasi Party (Loktantrik)		Hukum Bahadur Lama
Bahujan Samaj Party Nepal	Centre-left	Ganga Prasad Mahara
Deshbhakta Paryabaraniya Samajik Morcha	Centre	Surendra Prasad Dhakal
Rastrabadi Ekta Party		Uma Shrestha
Tamangsaling Loktantrik Party
Lok Dal		Kaushal Kumar Singh
Deshbhakta Samaj
Janashakti Nepal		Ram Kumar Ojha
Miteri Party Nepal
Rastriya Shiva Sena Party	Right-wing	Bikram Bahadur Bam
Akhanda Sudurpashchim Party Nepal		Khagendra Awasthi
Nepal Prajatantrik Pragatisheel Party
Pichhadabarga Nishad Dalit Janajati Party
Janasamajvadi Party, Nepal	Centre-left
Churebhavar Loktantrik Party		Bhumiraj Niraula
Rastriya Churebhavar Party		Shiva Prasad Tamang
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Party		Keshav Prasad Mainali
Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party Nepal		Badri Neupane
Rastriya Janata Dal Nepal		Bharat Prasad Mahato
Lok Kalyankari Janata Party, Nepal
Nepal Samajbadi Party (Lohiyabadi)	Centre-left
Gandhivadi Party Nepal
Rastravadi Party
Nepal Purvarastrasevak Loktantrik Party
Nepal Janaloktantrik Party
Nepal People's Party
Rastriya Jana Ekta Party
Hamro Party
Nepal Dalit Party
Hamro Party Nepal
Yuva Nepal Party
Nepal Loktantrik Janata Congress Party
Nepal Samajwadi Janata Dal	Left-wing
Nepal Bahudal Party		Ambika Rana
Prajatantrik Shakti Party	Centre-right	Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha
Nepali Jantantra Party
People's Progressive Party	Centre-left	Jukti Jung Lamichhane
Unnat Loktantra Party	N/A	Swagat Nepal

Defunct parties

This is a list of defunct political parties of Nepal that have had some representation in the legislature.

Party	Founded	Defunct
Nepal Rashtrabadi Gorkha Parishad^[8]	1951	Unknown
Communist Party of Nepal	1949	1962
Nepal Praja Parishad^[9]	1951	1961
Samyukta Prajatantra Party^[10]	1955	Unknown
Communist Party of Nepal (Democratic)	1979	1991
Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal	1991	2002
Communist Party of Nepal (United)	1991	2005
Nepal Sadbhawana Party	1981	2017
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chand)	1997	1998
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist)	1998	2002
Nepali Congress (Democratic)	2002	2007
Janamorcha Nepal	2002	2009
Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi)	2003	2015
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)	2007	2013
Rastriya Janashakti Party	2007	2013
Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal	2007	2015
Sadbhavana Party	2007	2017
Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party	2007	2017
Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal (Loktantrik)	2009	2017
Communist Party of Nepal Marxist−Leninist (Samajbadi)	2010	2013
Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party Nepal	2010	2013
Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum (Republican)	2011	2017
Federal Socialist Party, Nepal	2012	2015
Rastriya Madhesh Samajbadi Party	2013	2017
Terai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party	2013	2017
Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal	2015	2019
Rastriya Janata Party Nepal	2016	2019
Nepal Loktantrik Forum	2017	2017
Rastriya Janata Party Nepal	2017	2020
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic)	2017	2020
Nepal Communist Party	2018	2021
Samajbadi Party, Nepal	2019	2020
Rastriya Sadbhavana Party	Unknown	2013
Akhanda Nepal Party	Unknown	2017
Sanghiya Sadbhavana Party	Unknown	2017
Samajbadi Janata Party	Unknown	Unknown

References

^ "दर्ता भएका राजनीतिक दलहरु (अधावधिक सुची)" (PDF). Election Commission.
^ ^a ^b "Criteria for nat'l parties: 3 percent vote share, 1 FPTP seat a must". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
^ "Seven parties secure national party status so far: Election Commission". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
^ ^a ^b "प्रतिनिधिसभामा १२ दल, राष्ट्रिय पार्टी ७ मात्रै". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-12-06.
^ "Xi's Myanmar visit and China's Regional Diplomacy". Observer Research Foundation. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020. President Xi's visit to Nepal in October 2019 came when the ruling communist party in Nepal has consolidated power following the merger of two major left-wing parties to form Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in May 2018.
^ "Maoist Center and NSP jointly registered at EC". My República. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
^ "3 pc threshold proposed for parliamentary polls". My República. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
^ Bajracharya, Bhadra Ratha/Sharma, Sita Ram/Bakshi S.R.. Political development in Nepal. New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 1993. p. 114, 115
^ Whelpton, John (2005), A History of Nepal, New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 96, ISBN 978-0521804707
^ Śrīvāstava, Kāśī Prasāda (1986). Nepāla kā itihāsa (in Hindi). Atmaram & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7043-045-2.

External links

List of parties at the Election Commission of Nepal

[1] "दर्ता भएका राजनीतिक दलहरु (अधावधिक सुची)" (PDF). Election Commission.

[foo-2] "Criteria for nat'l parties: 3 percent vote share, 1 FPTP seat a must". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2022-12-08.

[3] "Seven parties secure national party status so far: Election Commission". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 2022-12-08.

[same2-4] "प्रतिनिधिसभामा १२ दल, राष्ट्रिय पार्टी ७ मात्रै". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-12-06.

[5] "Xi's Myanmar visit and China's Regional Diplomacy". Observer Research Foundation. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020. President Xi's visit to Nepal in October 2019 came when the ruling communist party in Nepal has consolidated power following the merger of two major left-wing parties to form Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in May 2018.

[6] "Maoist Center and NSP jointly registered at EC". My República. Retrieved 2022-12-19.

[7] "3 pc threshold proposed for parliamentary polls". My República. Retrieved 2022-12-08.

[deve-8] Bajracharya, Bhadra Ratha/Sharma, Sita Ram/Bakshi S.R.. Political development in Nepal. New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 1993. p. 114, 115

[9] Whelpton, John (2005), A History of Nepal, New York: Cambridge University Press, p. 96, ISBN 978-0521804707

[10] Śrīvāstava, Kāśī Prasāda (1986). Nepāla kā itihāsa (in Hindi). Atmaram & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7043-045-2.

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