Dharan- Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, Harka Sampang, has resigned from his post, paving the way for his entry into federal parliamentary politics.
Sampang submitted his resignation to Deputy Mayor Indrabikram Begaha during an executive committee meeting held on Sunday. His resignation comes after he announced his candidacy for the House of Representatives from Sunsari Constituency No. 1.
Harka Sampang, who founded the Shram Sanskriti Party and currently serves as its chairperson, has been signaling a major shift toward national-level politics in recent months. His decision to contest the federal election marks a significant political move, particularly given his popularity and activist image as a local-level leader.
According to municipal sources, the resignation was formally registered during the executive meeting, in line with prevailing legal provisions that require elected local executives to step down before contesting parliamentary elections.
On the same day, Surya Bahadur Bhattarai, Ward Chairperson of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City Ward No. 17, also tendered his resignation during the municipal meeting. Bhattarai has been nominated by the CPN as its candidate for the House of Representatives from the same constituency, Sunsari–1.
With the resignation of both the mayor and a ward chair on the same day, Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City is set to undergo an administrative transition. As per legal provisions, Deputy Mayor Indrabikram Begaha will assume the role of acting mayor until further arrangements are made.
The developments indicate growing political momentum in Sunsari–1 ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives elections, with prominent local leaders stepping aside from municipal roles to seek federal mandates.
