‘I Carry the JENJI Spirit, Breaking the Myth That Elected Leaders Disappear from Their City’
At just 26 years old, Manish Khanal has been elected as a Member of Parliament from Nawalpur Constituency No. 2. Khanal played an active role in the JENJI uprising on Bhadra 23 and 24, serving as a drafter of the 10-point agreement. He has plans to address issues in his constituency through policy and legal reforms for its prosperity. Khanal never imagined that his dream to become an MP at such a young age would come true; he always saw himself as a warrior of the streets. Accordingly, he was involved in various social movements, including the one on Bhadra 23 and 24, where he actively participated in documenting the protests. “I always thought someday I would contest elections, become an MP, or represent Nawalpur Constituency No. 2,” he says, “but I never expected it to happen so soon.”
Following the transformative impact of the JENJI uprising on Nepal’s political landscape, Khanal contested the election from Nawalpur Constituency No. 2, where he won by a significant margin. He secured 41,347 votes, while the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) candidate Til Bahadur Mahat Chhetri received 15,755 votes, and Nepali Congress candidate Om Bahadur Gharti came third with 14,713 votes. Born in an ordinary family, Khanal completed his School Leaving Certificate from a community school and later moved to Kathmandu. He graduated from Nepal Law Campus and is a qualified lawyer. His political journey began with the Bibeksheel Nepali campaign, and he has actively contributed to various social movements concerning medical education reform, justice for Nirmala Pant, the Lalita Niwas land scandal, and the Lokman Singh case.
At age 20, Khanal became a central committee member of the Bibeksheel Nepali Party. Later, he joined the National Independent Party and served as the chief of staff for then-MP Asim Shah. He also worked briefly in the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ policy and legal division. As an active participant in the JENJI uprising on Bhadra 23 and 24, Khanal was one of the drafters of the 10-point agreement reached between the government and the protestors. Having played a vital role in drafting the agreement, he felt the responsibility to raise youth voices from the streets to the legislative assembly. “There was a call for someone to institutionalize the spirit of the uprising. Should we look for an alternative or become the alternative ourselves? That is why I came forward thinking I could be a suitable young candidate for Nawalpur Constituency No. 2,” he explains.
His main goal was to convey the voice from the streets into the parliament. However, due to his young age, there were many doubts and suspicions during the electoral campaign. Many commented on his youth, and some even doubted his credibility. Prevailing notions that leaders must be “graying” or “physically imposing” made the early days difficult. Yet, through door-to-door visits, media engagement, and direct meetings, Khanal found that voters prioritized ideas, capability, and experience over age. His legal knowledge, experience in parliamentary secretariat, and role in the uprising provided him with a strong foundation.
Moreover, Nawalpur Constituency No. 2 encompasses a diverse geography. The northern region is hilly, while the southern area includes the flat Terai and Inner Madhesh plains. Khanal refers to his district as a “three-tier district.” The northern part hosts Magar and Gurung communities, where agricultural products like ginger and oranges have the potential to tap into good markets. There is also a long-standing demand to commence production at the Dhaubadi iron mine in Hupsekot Rural Municipality.
In the southern region, issues such as erosion of the Narayani River, human-wildlife conflicts, and administrative complications due to it being an intermediate region pose key challenges. Areas adjoining Chitwan National Park suffer from rhino and tiger attacks that destroy crops, with compensation processes being cumbersome and insufficient. Khanal recalls that even during the election, three people were attacked by rhinos. Being an intermediate region also brings challenges in service availability and administrative delays that frustrate locals. Unemployment, absentee populations, and the compulsion to seek foreign employment for minimum wages are common shared grievances of the voters.
According to Khanal, the youth’s expectations are clear. Most young people work abroad, but they wish to avoid migration if they can find minimum wage jobs domestically. They envision generating income by operating homestays along the Narayani River and developing Triveni Dham into a tourist hub connected to Devghat. They believe that if Chitwan prospers by showcasing rhinos, Nawalpur can also thrive similarly. “If Chitwan is prospering by promoting rhino tourism, why should we fear? We too can generate income by showing rhinos,” Khanal quotes the youth’s perspective and expresses his commitment to do what he can.
For all these initiatives, Khanal adopted the campaign slogan: “Policy Leads to Law and Law Leads to Prosperity.” He aims to link his legislative role directly with the district’s prosperity. His plans include resolving the issues of the intermediate region, constructing roads and infrastructure, and controlling river erosion through policy and legal measures. He has pledged to both watchdog and support the government’s 100-day action plan as well as the spirit of the 10-point agreement made with JENJI in parliament.
As one of the leaders of the JENJI movement, Khanal says he will carry youth sentiments in parliament. “Today’s youth do not seek long speeches but expect delivery. Their call is for the assigned work to be completed within the designated timeframe. The youth of the reels era demand short, crisp, yet effective results,” he notes. “My goal after winning and going to Kathmandu is to break the common complaint of voters about elected representatives disappearing from their districts.”