´Vote for the disable for the wellbeing of the disable´ is their common electoral mantra for the upcoming Constituent Assembly election.
And the similarity does not end there. [break]
Believe it or not, they share a name and also an election symbol - a comb, though they can´t possibly share the same constituency.
Padam Shrestha of IrkhuVDC-7 is campaigning at constituency-1 while Padam Badhdur Shrestha of Pantang-7 is in the fray at constituency-2.
The duo, who have arrived in Chautara to learn if the press had completed the printing their pamphlets and posters, said that they are in a hurry as they heard that other contestants have already launched their campaign.
“We hear that other candidates have already started wall painting. But our pamphlets are not ready yet,” said one of them, adding that it took them time to collect fund for the printing that delayed their campaign.
The duo also share their office in the district: Sindhupalchowk Blind Development Organization, a NGO them jointly established.
Padam Bahadur is the chairperson of the organization while his namesake is working as its secretary.
They managed the money to file their nomination and to print the pamphlets by selling their goats and chickens.
“The pamphlets and posters are at the press. They will be come out in two to three days,” said the younger Padam, who has placed an order for 8 thousand pamphlets.
Despite all that hullabaloo, both realize that they have a slim chance to win the election, and are not much bothered about the outcome.
“Our candidacy is a symbolic protest against those leaders who have been providing only lip service to the disable people so far,” they added in unison.
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