To an outsider, however, it may be baffling to see most of them agree with both the sides. But those who are keeping a close tab on the political scenario are upbeat about the election. [break]
Dhanlal Pun, a teacher at Jaimakasala, believes most of the electorates would go for voting on the polling date despite their affirmative response to poll boycotting group.
The people in politics infer that most of the people would take part in the poll in the district if dissenting group, the CPN-Maoist, does not resort to any violence and continue its protest against the poll peacefully.
Although the former lawmakers of Maoist from the district -Jayapuri Gharti and Santosh Budha- have joined the CPN-Maoist after the party split and most of the working committees of the mother party in the district are in the favor of shunning the poll, the politics of poll boycott has gained solid grounds in the district.
Despite the warning of the dissenting group to make Rolpa a ´no vote´ zone, district level leaders of various political parties believe that this is not possible, probably not even in Jelbang , Fagam and Jaimakasala in constituency-1 and Thabang in constituency-2. Both constituencies have 51 VDCs each.
Nepali Congress activist Durga Bahadur Pun of Gam VDC is assured that the upcoming election will be held with more certainly then the last CA.
“Remember we no longer face the level threat that the Maoists posed during the past,” Durga Bahadur said, recalling the last Constitution Assembly (CA) election, when he was barred from voting for the party he had faith on due to the Maoists´ pressure.
“A single party no longer commands overwhelming support in the district this time,” Durga Bahadur added.
He also said that the trend of voting for a single party after a community meeting in the Magar society has been broken this time.
“Now the voters feel that they are free to use their will while exercising their franchise,” he added.
Jagaman Rana of Seram VDC-2 also believes that political changes are taking place in the district. “In the last CA election, people were intimidated by the Maoists. Now, the people feel free to exercise their voting right,” Rana said, and went on to claim that those voters who voted for the Maoists in the last election have been repenting and want a change this time.
“Don´t tell us which party to vote and whom to vote. We know it on our own,” Rana quoted a courageous dalit voter replying to the UCPN (Maosit) candidate lately.
Bir Bahadur Ghartimagar of Uwa-9 expressed happiness that the voters can freely cast their votes this time.
According to locals, the disillusioned voters are repulsive toward the Maoists this time as they feel neglected by the party which formed the government and remained in power for long.
Ash Kumari BK of Uwa-7 who said that she voted for the Maoists in the last election, trusting the Maoists that they will bring peace and prosperity to the country, is now planning to use her own judgment this time.
Krishan Bahadur Mahara of the UCPN(Maosit), Lekhnath Acharya of Nepali Congress, Balaram Ghartimagar from Rastriya Prajatantra Party are contenting from constituency-1. Onsari Ghartimagar of the UCPN (Maoist), Bhim Kumari Budha of NC and Kumar Dasaudi of the CPN-UML are in the fray from constituency-2.
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