Sankhuwasabha, March 2 -- In Kimathanka, a remote border settlement in northern Sankhuwasabha district, the lights across the frontier shine brighter than any promise made at home. By day, residents can see bustling towns in Tibet; by night, the markets of Dendang and Changa sparkle across the hills. On the Nepali side, however, Kimathanka remains dimly lit by solar panels, still waiting for roads, reliable electricity and even electoral candidates.

With the House of Representatives election scheduled this Thursday (March 5), locals complain that no major candidate has visited this remote settlement. "Just four days are left for the March 5 polls, and I have stopped expecting the candidates to show up," Pasang Bhote, a resident of Kimath...