Candidate watch: Dr Lekhjung Thapa from Rupandehi–3

Dr Lekhjung Thapa, 41, is a neurologist holding an MD in Internal Medicine and a DM in Neurology, contesting his first election from Rupandehi–3 under the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

His professional career has centred on advancing neurological services, strengthening stroke response systems, and decentralising specialist healthcare beyond Kathmandu.

He serves as Senior Consultant Neurologist at the National Neuro Centre in Kathmandu, is CEO of the Nepal Stroke Association, and is the founder of Neuro and Allied Clinics in Bhairahawa. 

Over more than 16 years in medical development, he has contributed to neurological care protocols, stroke awareness initiatives, and expanding access to specialist services at the provincial level.

Dr Thapa joined RSP in 2025 and has no prior elected or legislative experience. In 2025, when he was a candidate for by-elections later cancelled due to snap polls, he faced allegations related to polygamy; the party publicly defended him, stating he had legally divorced his first wife before remarrying.

Policy outlook

Dr Thapa frames development through integration, arguing that infrastructure expansion alone does not guarantee prosperity unless directly linked to measurable economic growth and wealth generation. He identifies the disconnect between road expansion and distributive economic progress as a central policy concern.

Social justice, women’s empowerment, and participatory governance form the core pillars of his platform. He advocates inclusive planning mechanisms to ensure marginalised communities and women are substantively represented in legislative processes, warning against policymaking “in silos” that excludes key stakeholders.

In the health sector, he prioritises expanding specialised neurology services beyond Kathmandu, strengthening rural outpatient outreach, scaling nationwide stroke and epilepsy awareness campaigns, and integrating youth and schools into preventive health education. He also emphasises legislative measures to ensure equitable access to specialist healthcare at the provincial level.

Sidebar

Top priority if elected

• Integrated prosperity: Link physical infrastructure directly to economic growth and wealth generation
• Women’s empowerment: Place gender equality at the core of legislative agendas
• Inclusive planning: Ensure legislative processes are more participatory by creating mechanisms that ensure all stakeholders are represented and their perspectives incorporated
• Model constituency: Transform Rupandehi-3 into a national example of holistic development
• Equitable access in health policy: Advance legislative and policy measures that prioritise specialist services at the provincial level

Major concerns

• Infrastructure growth not translating into meaningful, distributive economic advancement
• Marginalised and women’s voices excluded from development discourse
• Silo-based policymaking leading to further disenfranchisement

Goals for the term

• Expand specialised neurology centres nationwide, replicating the Bhairahawa model
• Institutionalise neurology outpatient services in rural and underserved communities to reduce travel burdens and late diagnoses
• Scale national stroke and epilepsy awareness campaigns focused on early detection, timely treatment, and stigma reduction.
• Integrate youth into preventive neurological health education initiatives, partnering with educational institutions and youth networks to promote preventive health literacy and early neurological screening