Act candidate Ash Parmar declared he was pausing his election campaign in a Facebook post this week, only for the party to confirm shortly afterward that he remains "fully committed" to the race, after the post was deleted.

The brief episode came just days after Act revealed its full party list for the 2026 election, with Parmar, also known as Himanshu Parmar, ranked 16th.

What Parmar Actually Said

In a post he described as a "quick personal update," Parmar acknowledged that some people had noticed a change in his campaign activity.

"A few people had noticed he had pulled out of campaign events this week and had declined new invitations," he wrote, before addressing it directly rather than letting the absence go unexplained.

"So rather than pretend everything is business as usual, I want to be upfront: for now, my campaign is paused while I take some time with my family and seriously consider what my political involvement looks like from here," Parmar wrote.

He also referenced Sunday's list announcement specifically, pointing to "issues surrounding the process" he had been working through with the party.

Act's Response

The post was subsequently deleted, and Act moved quickly to clarify Parmar's position.

"Ash has since deleted the post and remains fully committed to the campaign," the party said.

Who Is Ash Parmar

Parmar is a Waikato-based business owner with more than 20 years of experience across retail, distribution, events and hospitality. He arrived in New Zealand from Delhi as a teenager nearly 25 years ago and has since built his career and family in the Waikato region.

He founded Eight PM, a Waikato-based spirits retailer, and previously served as a director of Super Liquor Holdings. This marks his second time standing for Act in the Waikato electorate, having previously stood as the party's Hamilton East candidate and a list candidate at the 2023 election.

Where He Sits on Act's 2026 List

Act's newly released list for the 2026 election shows significant turnover from the party's 2023 lineup, with only 14 of the previous 55 list candidates returning this time around.

Parmar sits at 16th on the list, positioned just behind list newcomers Antonia Modkova, Alex Price and Janelle Hocking, and ahead of Yang Qu. The top of the list is led by Act leader David Seymour, deputy leader Nicole McKee, and Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard, with former broadcaster Paul Henry entering at fourth place as the highest-ranked new candidate.

Why List Position Matters Here

Given National has historically dominated the Waikato electorate by a wide margin, Parmar's realistic path into Parliament would almost certainly run through Act's party list rather than winning the electorate outright, making his ranking a genuinely significant detail for his political prospects.

The Numbers Act Is Working With

Recent polling adds useful context to why every list position matters so much this election. The Motu Research Poll of Polls, released last week, had Act sitting at 7.5 percent, which would translate to nine seats, down from the 11 seats the party currently holds after winning 8.64 percent of the party vote in 2023.

Why This Story Matters

Public wavering from a candidate so soon after a list announcement is unusual, and the quick reversal, deleted post included, suggests the situation was resolved rapidly behind the scenes rather than reflecting a deeper rift. Still, with Act polling below its 2023 result and every list position potentially carrying real weight in how many seats the party ultimately wins, even a brief, publicly aired moment of uncertainty from a candidate ranked just outside the safer end of the list is likely to draw attention as the campaign continues.


This article is based on reporting by Thomas Coughlan for the NZ Herald, with additional context from Stuff and ACT's own candidate announcements.