Candidate watch: Yogesh Gauchan Thakali from Mustang

A member of the 2022 House of Representatives elected from Mustang from the Nepali Congress, Yogesh Gauchan Thakali, 32, represents a younger generation of federal leadership. He claims his work to be centered on infrastructure-led growth, youth investment, climate resilience and economic self-reliance.

Gauchan holds a bachelor degree in business management and frames his political identity around “Atmanirbhar Nepal”, a movement on making Nepal self-reliant to promote the country’s economic sovereignty. Additionally, he aligns with liberal democracy, and technocratic governance.

Within party structures, he serves as a Central Committee member and is affiliated with the Gandaki Province Committee as a key political strategist.

During his tenure as a lawmaker, his focus was on Mustang’s strategic position as a high-mountain border district. Building on his legislative work, his current campaign frames Mustang as a potential economic gateway through infrastructure expansion, cross-border trade facilitation, and tourism integration. A central pillar of his agenda is the completion of the 101-kilometer Jomsom–Korala corridor. 

In 2023, he advocated for the upgraded reopening of the Korala border following restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a significant increase in customs revenue. This effort aligns with his broader objective of transforming Korala into a permanent international trade hub integrated with managed customs and structured cross-border economic activity.

In April 2025, he was elected Youth Committee Chairman of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) and subsequently served as Co-Chair of its Standing Committee on Investing in Youth. 

His policy focus combines domestic production and entrepreneurship to reduce import dependency, continued upgrading of the Beni–Jomsom–Korala highway, modernisation of apple farming and improved market access, safeguarding fragile mountain ecosystems affected by drying water sources, floods, and landslides, promoting transboundary risk assessment and collective advocacy for mitigating climate change at global forums. 

He also emphasizes balancing development with the protection of traditional Thakali culture through eco-tourism.

Sidebar

Top priority if elected

• Completion of the Jomsom-Korala corridor: Finalising the blacktopping of the 101-km road to provide a high-quality, year-round link between Jomsom and the Chinese border.
• Transformation of Korala border: Shift the Korala border from a limited, seasonal fair to a permanent international commercial hub to boost national revenue.
• Sustainable local economy: Create a stable trade and tourism structure in Upper Mustang to provide long-term business and job opportunities for local youth.
• Regional prosperity: Integrate infrastructure with cross-border fairs and managed customs to make Mustang a primary economic gateway for Nepal.

Major concerns

• Economic dependency and border instability
• Youth migration and lack of local opportunities

Previous experiences that best prepare him for the role

• Served as a member of the House of Representative (2022-2025)