JANAKPURDHAM, Jan 23:According to the national 2078 BS census, Madhesh Province has a population of 6,144,600, with 3,636,413 eligible voters. Thirty-two members will be elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) from this province.
In the upcoming HoR election on March 5, political parties in Madhesh are working hard to maintain their influence. Fragmented Madhesh-centered parties have united for this purpose. While these regional parties are focused on retaining their ground, traditional parties and emerging political forces are also actively seeking to win the hearts and votes of Madhesh.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is making a notable push using the “Balen Card.” Recently, Balendra Sah (Balen) addressed a large gathering in Janakpurdham, the provincial capital, creating waves in the province’s electoral politics. Although he is filing his candidacy from Jhapa–5 under Koshi Province, his presence has energized voters across Madhesh.
Former Interim Government Minister for Youth and Sports, Bablu Gupta, resigned and filed his candidacy from Siraha–1 under RSP. In Siraha–1, candidates include Ramshankar Yadav of CPN-UML, Ramsundar Chaudhary of Nepali Congress (NC), Satyanarayan Yadav of Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal, and Ramswarup Chaudhary of Janamat Party.
In 2079 BS, Ramshankar Yadav of UML had won Siraha–1 with 29,462 votes, narrowly defeating NC’s Padmanarayan Chaudhary, who had 27,379 votes. This time, Padmanarayan did not receive a ticket. New faces Bablu, Satyanarayan, and Ramsundar are now in the fray.
In Siraha–2, candidates include Nabeenkumar Yadav (UML), Ramchandra Yadav (NC), Sanjivkumar Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Binodkumar Yadav (Janamat Party), and Shivshankar Yadav (Shiv) of RSP. In 2079 BS, Rajkishor Yadav of JSP-Nepal had won with 24,178 votes, defeating NC’s Chitralekha Yadav. Except for Binod of Janamat Party, all candidates in this area are new faces.
Siraha–3 features Lilanath Shrestha of UML, Dr. Subhashchandra Yadav of NC, Asheshwar Yadav of JSP-Nepal, Shambhukumar Yadav of RSP, and Bishwanath Sah along with others from Nepali Communist Party (NCP). Shrestha of UML had won in 2079 BS with 28,064 votes. Bishwanath Sah of the then CPN (Maoist Centre) received 26,882 votes, while Dineshkumar Yadav of Janamat Party had 11,146 votes. This time, Subhash and Shambhu are the new entrants.
History of Madhesh to be written
Siraha–4 candidates include Rajkishor Yadav of JSP-Nepal, Dharmnath Prasad Sah of UML, Chandrakala Kumari Yadav of NC, Ajayshankar Nayak of NCP, and Birendra Prasad Mahato of Janamat Party. Mahato, previously elected from JSP-Nepal, is contesting this time from Janamat Party. Rajkishor has changed constituencies to his ancestral village in this area, while Sah, after failing to secure a ticket from NCP, is contesting from UML.
In Saptari, the four constituencies are equally competitive. Saptari–1 candidates include Sumanraj Pyakurel (UML), Ramdev Sah Teli (NC), Jaykant Raut (Janamat Party), Shyamsundar Sardar (JSP-Nepal), Sagar Kumar Chaudhary (NCP), and Sumitkumar Sudi (Swabhiman Party). In 2079 BS, Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi of JSP-Nepal had won with 23,604 votes. This time, his son Sumitkumar contests from the Swabhiman Party. Jaykant Raut and Teli are returning contenders.
Saptari–2 has Chandrakant Raut (Janamat Party), Umesh Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Mohammad Ziaul Rahman (UML), Ramkumar Yadav (NC), Ranjukumari Jha Thakur (Nepal Janata Party), Satish Singh (Swabhiman Party), and Sharad Singh Yadav (Janadhikar Party). Chandrakant Raut had previously won with 35,042 votes; Upendra Yadav of JSP-Nepal was the closest competitor with 16,979 votes.
Saptari–3 features Upendra Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Tarakant Chaudhary (UML), Dineshkumar Yadav (NC), and Surendraprasad Sharma (Janamat Party). Dineshkumar had won in 2079 BS with 26,166 votes, while Tarakant received 22,300 votes. Saptari–4 candidates include Tejulal Chaudhary (NC), Gangaprasad Chaudhary (UML), Babisingh Yadav (JSP), and Jitendrakumar Sah (Janamat Party). Tejulal had won previously with 23,491 votes; Bal Kishor Yadav of JSP-Nepal and Sukdevprasad Sah of Janamat Party were runners-up.
In Dhanusha–1, candidates include Matrikaprasad Yadav (NCP), Deepakkumar Karki (JSP), Rampalton Sah (NC), Ramchandra Mandal (UML), and Kishori Sah (RSP). Mandal is a former speaker of the Madhesh Provincial Assembly. Karki had won in 2079 BS with 27,431 votes, while Matrikaprasad Yadav and Kishori Sah followed.
Dhanusha–2 candidates are Ramchandra Jha (NCP), Dineshprasad Yadav Prasaila (NC), Umashankar Argariya (UML), and Pashupati Yadav (JSP). Ramkrishna Yadav of NC had previously won with 20,112 votes; Umashankar received 19,955 votes. Jha, Anand Yadav, and Jaynarayan Sah were other contenders.
Dhanusha–3 features Bimlendra Nidhi (NC), Julikumari Mahato (UML), Parmeshwar Sah (JSP-Nepal), Manish Jha (RSP), Rajiv Jha (Rastriya Mukti Party), and Ramlalit Mandal (NCP). Julikumari of UML had won with 33,388 votes in 2079 BS. Dhanusha–4 candidates include Raghubir Mahaseth (Deputy General Secretary of UML), Mahendra Yadav (NC), Krishna Chandra Prasad Sah (JSP), and Sanjay Mahto (NCP). Mahaseth had won with 32,236 votes, just 124 votes ahead of Mahendra Yadav.
Mahottari–1 candidates are Laxmi Mahto Koiri (UML), Girirajmani Pokhrel (NCP), Mukesh Kafle (NC), and Yoganarayan Mahato (JSP-Nepal). Koiri narrowly defeated Pokhrel in 2079 BS. Mahottari–2 candidates include Sharat Singh Bhandari (JSP-Nepal), Kiran Yadav (NC), Kasim Nadaf (UML), and Laxmankumar Yadav (NCP). Bhandari had won with 25,190 votes in 2079 BS.
Mahottari–3 features Dr. Minakshi Thakur (JSP-Nepal), Bajrang Nepali (NC), Ujjwal Jha (RSP), Arvind Thakur (Janamat Party), Harinarayan Yadav (Independent), and Ram Adhar Kapar (Independent).
Mahant Thakur, who had won in 2074 BS and 2079 BS, filed for the National Assembly and nominated his daughter. Mahottari–4 candidates include Mahendra Kumar Rai (NC), Dr. Surendrakumar Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Nilam Adhikari (UML), Bharatprasad Sah (NCP), and Manojkumar Sah (Janamat Party).
Sarlahi–1 candidates are Ramprakash Chaudhary (JSP-Nepal), Manojkumar Devkota (UML), Shambhulal Shrestha (NC), Pramod Sah (NCP), and Nitima Bhandari Karki (RSP). Chaudhary had won in 2079 BS with 24,838 votes from Loktantrik Samajbadi Party. Sarlahi–2 candidates include Mahendra Ray Yadav (NCP), Rajendra Mahato (Rastriya Mukti Party), Dr. Saroj Kumar (NC), and Nageshwar Sah (UML).
Sarlahi–3 features Narayankaji Shrestha (NCP), Hariprasad Upreti (UML), Binodkumar Khanal (NC), and Narendra Sah Kalwar (RSP). Upreti had won with 32,938 votes in 2079 BS; Kalwar is not contesting this time. Sarlahi–4 candidates include Gagan Kumar Thapa (NC), Amanish Kumar Yadav (UML), Rameshwar Ray Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Amresh Kumar Singh (RSP), Rakesh Kumar Mishra (Janamat Party), Rajnish Rai (NCP), and Madhumala Kumari Yadav. Amreshkumar Singh, after losing NC tickets, contested as an independent and won with 20,017 votes.
Rautahat–1 candidates include former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Ajay Kumar Gupta (UML), Anilkumar Jha (NC), Yogendra Rai Yadav (JSP-Nepal), and Tribhuvan Sah (Aam Janata Party). Nepal had won in 2079 BS with 33,522 votes. Rautahat–2 features Kiran Kumar Sah (NCP), Mohammad Firdos Alam (NC), Mohammad Atiullah (UML), and Bhagwan Raut Kurmi (Aam Janata Party).
Rautahat–3 candidates include Prabhu Sah (Aam Janata Party), Kundan Prasad Kushwaha (UML), Ramkripalprasad Yadav (NC), and Punam Devi (NCP). Prabhu Sah had received 32,437 votes as an independent in 2079 BS. Rautahat–4 candidates are Rishiraj Dhamala (Aam Janata Party), Ramji Sah Sonar (UML), Devprasad Timilsena (NC), Ganesh Paudel (RSP), and Ramkumar Bhattarai (NCP).
Bara–1 candidates include Achyut Prasad Mainali (UML), Shambhubahadur Budhathoki (NC), Santosh Dangal (NCP), Rambabu Prasad Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Ganesh Dhimal (RSP), and Bijay Yadav (Aam Janata Party). Mainali had won in 2079 BS with 39,195 votes. Bara–2 features Balbir Prasad Chaudhary (UML), Bhaiyaram Prasad Yadav (NC), Ramkishor Prasad Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Atmaram Prasad Sah (Aam Janata Party), Shivchandra Kushwaha (Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party), Ramesh Prasad Yadav (NCP), and Chandan Kumar Singh (RSP).
Bara–3 candidates include Jwala Kumari Sah (UML), Farmullah Mansoor (NC), Pramodprasad Gupta (Janamat Party), Rambabu Kumar Yadav (JSP-Nepal), and Arvind Sah (RSP). Bara–4 features Krishnakumar Shrestha (Kisan) (UML), Shyambabu Gupta (NC), Ajay Kushwaha (NCP), Rahabar Ansari (RSP), Sanju Sah Kanu (JSP), and Hasanjan Miya (Janamat Party).
Parsa–1 candidates are Pradeep Yadav (UML), Anilkumar Rungta (NC), Ramnaresh Prasad Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Omprakash Sarraf (Janamat Party), and Ajay Chaurasiya (NCP). Parsa–2 includes former Minister Ajaykumar Chaurasiya (NC), Rima Kumari Yadav (UML), and Ashok Kumar Agrawal (JSP-Nepal). Parsa–3 candidates are Surendraprasad Chaudhary (NC), Rupeshkumar Pandey (UML), Chotelalprasad Yadav (NCP), Nagendra Prasad Yadav (JSP-Nepal), Malati Kumari Kushwaha (Janamat Party), and Ramakantprasad Chaurasiya (RSP).
Parsa–4 candidates include Ramesh Rijal (NC), Jalim Miya Mansuri (UML), Tekbahadur Shakya (RSP), and Jay Prakash Tharu (NCP). Tekbahadur left NCP to join RSP, while Jay Prakash moved from UML to NCP. In 2079 BS, Rijal had won with 31,142 votes, defeating Mansuri who had 25,612 votes.
