CHITWAN, Feb 11: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) considers Chitwan its stronghold, with party chairperson Rabi Lamichhane once again contesting from Chitwan-2. At present, Lamichhane appears confident of victory.
According to RSP Chitwan Chapter Chair Krishna Bhusal, Lamichhane has spent only two days on door-to-door campaigning since filing his candidacy, despite having secured a landslide victory in the previous elections.
“Rabi sir has spent only two days with voters this time. He will return tomorrow,” Bhusal said. “He will likely move forward with the campaign in his own way.”
Lamichhane, who arrived in Chitwan a week ago, has said he would not be able to devote much time to the constituency. “He is traveling across the country, so he cannot give as much time as before,” Bhusal added. “We are seeking votes in our own way.”
The RSP believes Lamichhane will secure even more votes than in the past. “Our assessment is that his vote count will not decline,” Bhusal said. “Under no circumstances will Rabi sir’s votes decrease; they will increase.”
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In the April 2023 by-election, Lamichhane won with 54,175 votes, defeating his closest rival by a margin of 43,061 votes. This wide margin is cited as one reason for his limited time in the constituency this time.
However, major political parties are attempting to challenge Lamichhane’s dominance in the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) election scheduled for March 5.
The Nepali Congress (NC) has fielded women’s rights activist Meena Kharel as its candidate. Known locally for her work in women’s, children’s, and social sectors, Kharel is believed to be gaining grassroots support.
NC Chitwan District Secretary Dhurba Pokharel said the party is contesting the election competitively. “We are currently engaged in door-to-door campaigning and receiving a positive response from citizens,” he said. “Having a strong candidate has made the campaign easier.”
Chitwan-2 comprises 10 wards of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Kalika Municipality, and Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality. Pokharel said Kharel enjoys goodwill in these areas due to her social work among women, children, and underprivileged communities. He also claimed she represents not only Chitwan-2 but women across the country, describing her as a simple and controversy-free candidate.
In the 2023 by-election, NC candidate Jit Narayan Shrestha secured 11,114 votes, while UML candidate Neupane came third with 10,934 votes.
Lamichhane, who was initially elected but later disqualified over a citizenship controversy, returned to Parliament after winning the by-election from the same constituency. Voters in the area are now said to be seeking good governance, the rule of law, poverty alleviation, and employment opportunities.
The CPN-UML has fielded Ashmin Ghimire, a provincial committee member under 40, as its candidate. The party believes Ghimire’s youth and clean image will appeal to voters.
Meanwhile, Nepali Communist Party (NCP) candidate Pratap Gurung, a resident of Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality, claims his party has strong momentum in the hilly region and that the election outcome may surprise many.
Lamichhane was released on December 18 after depositing nearly Rs 40 million in bail at the Rupandehi District Court in connection with the Supreme Cooperative fraud case. On the day of candidacy registration, the Parsa District Court also ordered him to deposit Rs 10 million in bail. The RSP has described the cases as politically motivated.
In the last election, the RSP emerged as the largest party in the constituency under the proportional representation system, securing 35,945 votes. UML received 16,748 votes, NC 12,132, CPN (Maoist Centre) 8,407, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party 3,218 votes.
