ElectedDirect seat

Jagdish Kharel (Lalitpur)

Rastriya Swatantra Party · Lalitpur-2

Jagdish Kharel (Lalitpur)
Profile with sourcesSources checked Jul 13, 2026, 5:52 AM

Jagdish Kharel (Lalitpur) (born 6 August 1982) is a Nepalese politician, former media professional and journalist who became the member of parliament for Lalitpur 2 constituency after being elected in the 2026 general elections as a candidate of Rastriya Swatantra Party. Previously, he served as the Minister of Communication and Information Technology from September 2025 to January 2026 in the interim government led by Sushila Karki. On 21 September 2025, Prime Minister Karki recommended Kharel to the ministerial role amid widespread Gen Z–led protests calling for greater transparency, digital inclusion, and systemic reform. He was sworn in on 22 September 2025. Kharel was elected to the House of Representatives in Lalitpur 2 from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the elections held on March 5 2026 (2082 Falgun 21 BS). Over the years, Kharel has earned recognition for his fearless journalism, compelling interviews, and deep commitment to public service. With his transition from media to governance, he has expressed a goal of upholding media freedom while strengthening institutional frameworks. His initial priorities include accelerating the nationwide 5G rollout and enhancing capacity-building programs for local media outlets.

Also known as: Jagdish Kharel

Open constituency

Seat summary

Party
Rastriya Swatantra Party
Seat type
Direct seat
Constituency
Lalitpur-2
Province
Bagmati
District
Lalitpur
Status
Elected
Votes
39,491
Vote share
64.4%
Constituency total votes
61,313

News mentions

These stories explicitly name this MP in the title or summary and link to the original publisher. When a verified translation is unavailable, the source-language text is retained.

Khabarhub English

All-party meeting taking place today to discuss Rasuwa flood response

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KATHMANDU: An all-party meeting is taking place today, following a call by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane. The meeting is being held at 9 am at the RSP parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar, RSP spokesperson Jagdish Kharel said.

Khabarhub English

Jagdish Kharel challenges allegations, vows to quit politics if link to Smart Telecom proven

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KATHMANDU: Former Minister for Communications and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Jagdish Kharel has said he will retire from politics if his involvement in the Smart Telecom case is proven. Speaking during Monday’s House of Representatives meeting, h… KATHMANDU: Former Minister for Communications and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Jagdish Kharel has said he will retire from politics if his involvem…

Background and experience

Education history

masters

Tribhuvan University

Institution
Tribhuvan University
Country
Nepal

Professional history

journalist

Personal details

Seat details come from official records. Background, affiliations, links, and cabinet roles may also use Federal Parliament pages, cabinet listings, and other public sources. Some English summaries are translated from the Nepali source linked on the page.

Age
43
Gender
Male
Date of birth (B.S.)
2039-04-22
Residence
Lalitpur Mahalakshmi Municipality
Citizenship district
Dolkha

Sources

Sources checked Jul 13, 2026, 5:52 AM