As the electorates remain sharply divided over the issue ever since the days of the first Constituent Assembly election held in 2008, the candidates are compelled to plan their campaign, accordingly.[break]
While the election fever rises in the tourist town, the issues and concerns related to identity based Federal State is also heating up.
As the strong stance of Federal Society Party in favor of identity based federalism and insistence of Akanda Nepal against it is turning on the electorates, the major parties such as UCPN (Maoist) Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are also trying to follow the suit.
Thousands of supporters and opponents of the identity based federalism had took to the street toward the end of the first CA, and the town had come very close to a deadly confrontation.
“Had the police administration not interfered, the situation would have certainly took a very ugly turn,” recalls Kesab Thapa Magar, a teacher and a party cadre of Federal Socialist Party.
A Janajati candidate each affiliated to Nepal Congress and the UCPN (Maoist) are in the fray in the scenic town in Kaski.
As of the CPN-UML, it has fielded a total of 9 candidates belonging to the Dalit, women and Janajati group under the proportional electoral system from Kaski district, though it has not fielded a single Janjati candidate under the first-past-the-post sytem.
FSP has nominated Janajati candidates from all constituencies of the district while Akanda Party has fielded a candidate each from the Janajati and Chhetri and two from the Sanyasi group.
While FSP is adamant in the formation of Tamuwan province by including both Pokhara and its surrounding areas, Akanda party is completely against the idea.
On the other side, the UCPN (Maoist) is only concerned about identity based federalism with no interest in ethnic state.
“Federalism based on economic viability as well as identity is our agenda,” said Congress candidate Yagya Bahadur Thapa.
The standoff between the supporters and opponents of identity based federal state in Pokhara in the past is still fresh in the collective memory of the residents.
Pokhara had turned into a battle ground for the agitated members of the Chettri-Bahun society and Tamuhan Struggling Committee.
Normal life in the town was crippled for days when both the factions imposed a series of general strikes.
Security personnel were massively deployed to avert confrontation.
Related story
Head held high
_20220428065731.jpeg)
