In the remote hills of Jajarkot, a quiet challenge to long-standing social injustice is emerging. Karna Bahadur Nepali, a young Dalit rights activist from the marginalized Baadi community of Chhedagad Municipality–5, has filed his candidacy for the parliamentary election scheduled for early March.

A longtime humanitarian worker, Nepali has spent over a decade as a social mobilizer, working on poverty alleviation, education support, and community development. He has served in projects supported by Save the Children and contributed to local education initiatives through Panchatara Yuwa Sancharan Mancha. He later reactivated Baadi Sanrakshan Mancha and helped establish the Social Reform Agricultural Cooperative to improve local livelihoods.

“My candidacy is not against any person,” Nepali says. “It is against poverty, illiteracy, discrimination, and social injustice. It is for the development of Jajarkot.”

Recognizing his grassroots work, the Ujyaalo Nepal Party (UNP) has selected him as its candidate, calling his run a historic moment for Jajarkot. “For the first time, a young Dalit activist is contesting here,” says UNP leader Nar Bahadur Karki.

Jajarkot, heavily affected by the Maoist insurgency, has been represented by Maoist leaders since 2008, yet development remains limited. Persistent caste-based violence—including the 2020 killing of six Dalit youths—highlights unresolved injustice.

Against this backdrop, Nepali is contesting for the House of Representatives, challenging veteran Maoist leader Shakti Bahadur Basnet. His candidacy symbolizes more than an election—it represents a renewed push for justice, equality, and hope in Jajarkot.