KATHMANDU, Feb 17: The election fever has gripped the political parties and candidates alike, and so are the voters, with two weeks left to vote for the crucial House of Representatives (HoR) election.
The political parties, candidates, and their well-wishers are canvassing people in their respective favour as the election campaigning starts officially today.
A total of 24 candidates are contesting for a seat in the HoR from Kathmandu Constituency-5 this time. The list includes both new faces and independent contenders. The heavyweights in the fray have drawn special attention here. Among the candidates are individuals who have previously served in key positions ranging from Deputy Prime Minister to minister, as well as incumbent senior party leaders, including vice chairs and general secretaries.
Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Pradeep Paudel, CPN (UML) Senior Leader Ishwor Pokhrel, Rastriya Prajatantra Party’s former Chair Kamal Thapa, Kalpana Sharma of the Nepali Communist Party, and Sasmit Pokharel of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) are among those in the fray. Paudel, Pokharel and Thapa have already held vital posts in the party and government.
In the 2022 election, NC candidate Paudel secured 15,268 votes, securing the victory, while Pokharel received 10,190 votes, finishing as the runner-up. The RSP garnered 5,477 votes, followed by 3,162 votes for the RPP.
Booze, cash, chicken to woo voters
NC candidate Paudel said that good governance, economic development, social justice, protection of cultural identity, and concerns of the Gen Z community are the party’s main election agendas this time.
Senior leader of the UML, Pokharel, mentioned that the issues, including enhancing citizens' access to education and health services as well as improving their quality, are on his priority. Also, the former Deputy Prime Minister shared, "Issues like directly connecting production and employment with the people, completing the construction of physical infrastructures, as well as constructing additional infrastructures for urban facility management are the party's agenda."
Likewise, the candidate from Rastriya Prajatantra Party at Kathmandu-5, Thapa, has made nationality, Hindu nation and restoration of monarchy as the main agenda.
Also, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Thapa, stressed, "We will develop Handigoun and Tokha as cultural cities as well as make settlements along the Bishnumati and Dhobikhola corridor systematic."
Sharma, the candidate of the NCP, has made corruption control, good governance, timely revision and easy access to health and education as his main election agenda.
"Making social justice and service delivery effective and smooth is our priority. Formulation and amendment of laws as per the time is indispensable. We will move ahead with a schedule for this purpose," he underscored.
RSP Candidate Pokharel expressed determination to establish accountable representation through responsibility, transparency and direct dialogue.
"We will document the locals' complaints, suggestions, expectations and priorities and connect them to policy debate and programme development in parliament," he viewed.
Others in the fray are Danindra Joshi from Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, Shova Lal Shrestha from Nepal Workers and Peasant Party, Ashok Bikram from Rastriya Janamorcha, Bishnu Shrestha from Progressive Democratic Party, Mira Gurung from Mangol National organization and Shyam Kaji from Samyukta Nagarik Party from this constituency.
Similarly, Nimesh Khanal from Nepal Communist Party (United), Nisha Adhikari from Gatishil Loktantrik Party, Basanta Raj Kunwar from Jay Matribhumi Party, Amit Thapa from Shram Sanskriti Party, Gyanendra Prajapati from Nepal Communist Party (Maoist), Shreeran Gurung from Ujjyalo Nepal Party, Ramesh Tamang from Trimul Nepal, Yubraj Kafle from the Nepal Communist Party (Marxism) and Komal Poudel from Aam Janata Party are contesting the March 5 HoR election.
Kyamuna Mijar, Dhak Bahadur Karki, Dharma Dangol, Prabha Shrestha and Ramit Sapkota are independent candidates in Kathmandu-5. The constituency has a total of 78,114 voters, including 40,832 women, 37,278 men and four others. It has 31 voting centres and 90 polling stations.
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