Kathmandu, June 5 -- Jatashankar Sahani, a 40-year-old politician from Bara, was once a Mahasamiti member of the Nepali Congress. Today, his name is missing from the party's digital membership update records. Sahani crossed over to the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) ahead of the House of Representatives election held on March 5. For him, leaving the Congress was not a difficult decision.

"It became increasingly difficult to find opportunities within the Congress," said Sahani. "There were too many opponents inside the party itself. Even if someone managed to secure a poll ticket, there was always the risk of sabotage from within. That is why I left the party."

His story is one among thousands that help explain why the Congress's ambitio...