Oli Vs Balen turns Jhapa 5 into election 'epicenter'

KATHMANDU, Jan 25: A total of 89 candidates are in the race across Jhapa’s five constituencies for the upcoming House of Representatives election. Of them, 17 are independent candidates, while the remaining 72 are from political parties.

The most talked about and closely watched constituency in the country is also in Jhapa district. That is Jhapa 5. This constituency is being seen as the epicenter of this election.

Former prime minister and chairperson of the CPN UML, KP Sharma Oli, has been contesting from this constituency for a long time. This time, former Kathmandu Metropolitan City mayor Balen Shah has entered the race to challenge Oli.

Balen, who joined a political party as a candidate for prime minister, has been given the status of a senior leader by the Rastriya Swatantra Party. The Oli versus Balen contest has drawn keen attention from large audiences both inside and outside the country. As a result, the political atmosphere here is heating up by the day.

Although the contest appears largely two-sided, candidates from other parties and independents are also in the race. A total of 24 candidates are contesting in Jhapa 5, including 15 party nominees and nine independent candidates.

The Nepali Congress has fielded Mandhara Chimariya, the Nepal Communist Party has nominated Ranjit Tamang, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has put forward Laxmi Prasad Sangraula, the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal has nominated Dhiren Subba, and the Janamat Party has fielded Amritlal Mahato.

Similarly, party candidates include San Bahadur Meche from the Mongol National Organization, Padam Bahadur Jawegu from the Nepal Janamukti Party, Sabin Rai from the Rastriya Parivartan Party, Sushant Sampanga Rai from the Federal Democratic National Forum, Samir Tamang from the Shram Sanskriti Party, Sanjay Rai from the Nepal Communist Party Maoist, Amrit Rasaily from the Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal single symbol group, and Dharmaraj Guragain from the People First Party.

Independent candidates in the constituency are Arjun Sapkota, Khemnath Siwakoti, Dambar Shahu, Pushkar Khatiwada, Prakash Nepal, Matrika Bhattarai, Ranjana Gautam, Bipul Guragain, and Shobha Bhandari.

In the 2079 House of Representatives election, UML chair Oli won from this constituency with 52,319 votes. His closest rival, Khagendra Adhikari of the Nepali Congress, secured 23,743 votes, while Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate Suresh Kumar Pokharel received 11,759 votes.

Fifteen candidates in Jhapa 1 vacated by Bishwa Prakash

In Jhapa 1, Nepali Congress leader Bishwaprakash Sharma won the last election with 39,624 votes. UML candidate Agni Prasad Kharel received 25,349 votes, while Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Omnath Bhandari secured 8,564 votes.

This time, Bishwaprakash has announced that he will not contest, leaving the seat open. There are now 15 candidates in the race, including 13 party nominees and two independents.

The Nepali Congress has fielded Keshavraj Pandey, UML has nominated Ramchandra Upreti, the Nepal Communist Party has put forward Ashesh Ghimire, Rastriya Swatantra Party has nominated Nisha Dangi, Rastriya Prajatantra Party has fielded Hemraj Karki, Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal has nominated Rama Meche, Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party has fielded Hiranya Prasad Bhattarai, Mongol National Organization has nominated Santosh Tamang, Nepal Sadbhavana Party has put forward Olin Rajbanshi, Nepal Janamukti Party has nominated Khandru Karuwa, Federal Democratic National Forum has fielded Man Bahadur Sawa Limbu, Shram Sanskriti Party has nominated Kevalram Rai, and Ujyalo Nepal Party has fielded Naresh Kumar Lawati. Ganesh Kumar Kharel and Durga Prasad Sawa Limbu are independent candidates.

Former Speaker, Deputy Speaker face off in Jhapa 2

In Jhapa 2, former Speaker of the dissolved House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire and former Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar are contesting against each other. UML has fielded Ghimire, while the Rastriya Swatantra Party has nominated Rana Magar.

Apart from them, there are 15 party candidates and three independents in the constituency. Party candidates include Sarita Prasain from the Nepali Congress, Dharmashila Chapagain from the Nepal Communist Party, Bhadra Prasad Swagat Nepal from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Ramesh Kumar Rajbanshi from the Janamat Party, Chandrakumari Garu from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Akal Bahadur Tamang from the Mongol National Organization, Man Bahadur Pulami Magar from the Nepal Janamukti Party, Shri Prasad Sitaula from the Nepal Communist Party United, Amrita Lawati from the Federal Democratic National Forum, Keshav Kumar Bhandari from the Shram Sanskriti Party, Arjun Kumar Pandey from the Nepal Communist Party Maoist, Chundakarn Begha from the Ujyalo Nepal Party, and Til Bahadur Rai from the Janata Samajbadi Party.

Independent candidates are Punya Prasad Acharya, Yuvraj Sangraula, and Ramesh Kumar Karki.

In the last election, Ghimire won from this constituency with 28,716 votes. Independent candidate Bhadra Prasad Nepal finished second with 26,455 votes, while the then Maoist Centre candidate Hari Kumar Rana Magar secured 13,930 votes.

Sixteen challengers to Lingden in Jhapa 3

In Jhapa 3, there are 17 candidates in total, including 15 party nominees and two independents. Candidates include Hari Bahadur Rajbanshi from UML, Rajendra Kumar Ghimire from the Nepali Congress, Dilliram Ghimire from the Nepal Communist Party, Prakash Pathak from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chair Rajendra Lingden, Karnalal Rajbanshi from the Janata Samajbadi Party, Harsalal Rajbanshi from the Janamat Party, Dharmalakshmi Duval from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Yam Kumar Shrestha from the Mongol National Organization, Chandrakala Sawa from the Federal Democratic National Forum, Jayan Magar from National Republic Nepal, Deepak Timsina from the Shram Sanskriti Party, Santosh Katwal from the Nepal Communist Party Maoist, Shyam Krishna Pathak from the Ujyalo Nepal Party, and Vinita Kumari Rajbanshi from the Janata Samajbadi Party. Independent candidates are Abhay Rajbanshi and Man Prakash Sangraula.

In the 2079 election, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chair Lingden won with 40,662 votes, while Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula finished second with 37,386 votes. Rastriya Swatantra Party candidate Prakash Pathak received 3,461 votes.

Sixteen candidates in Jhapa 4

In Jhapa 4, there are 16 candidates in the race, including nominees from 15 political parties and one independent. Candidates include Lal Prasad Sawa Limbu from UML, Deu Kumar Thebe from the Nepali Congress, Purushottam Chudal from the Nepal Communist Party, Shambhu Prasad Dhakal from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Bhakti Prasad Sitaula from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Paltan Tajpuriya from the Janata Samajbadi Party, Lothro Hemram from the Janamat Party, Tulsilakshmi Dumru from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Dilip Dhimal from the Mongol National Organization, Tek Bahadur Adhikari from the Nepal Communist Party Marxist Pushpalal, Kiran Limbu Lingden from the Federal Democratic National Forum, Amritadevi Rai from the Shram Sanskriti Party, Tara Bahadur Thapa from the Nepal Communist Party Maoist, Santosh Tamang from the Ujyalo Nepal Party, Trinarayan Rajbanshi from the Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, and independent candidate Sajan Majhi.

In the last election, UML’s Sawa Limbu won with 29,300 votes. Nepali Congress candidate Thebe received 22,448 votes, while Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Shambhu Prasad Dhakal secured 14,069 votes.