RJMN Chairman Chitra Bahadur KC had won the 2008 election from constituency-2 of Baglung. This time around, the influential leader is not contesting the poll from the district under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system. He has been selected under proportional representation (PR) system. [break]
The party has selected Rajendra Dhungana for constituency-2. Another factor that is very likely to affect RJMN is that it has not forged an electoral alliance with the CPN-UML. In all the elections after 1990, the CPN (UML) and RJMN had contested the polls by forging seat adjustment. However, this time, the parties are contesting separately. The CPN (UML) has picked Surya Pathak for the constituency-2.
Observers say that the agenda of anti-federalism has not gained much momentum this time and the party is likely to lose maximum seats in Baglung.
However, the party leaders have accused their rival parties of conspiring against them.
UCPN (Maoist) also fails to field strong candidate.The UCPN (Maoist), which strongly stands for federalism, is also in the fray.
Krishna KC, who is contesting from constituency-1 representing the UCPN (Maoist), is carrying his election campaign aggressively. However, no central level member of the party is not in the race this time at the district.
The UCPN (Maoist)´s influential leader Dina Nath Sharma and Balawati Shrama, who contested in the last polls, has been selected under the (PR) system.
Locals in the district rue over the lack of senior leaders contesting from their constituencies.
“Following splits in the party, the UCPN (Maoist) has not picked any senior leader for the district fearing defeat. They (Maoist) had lost at the two constituencies in previous polls,” said a local shopkeeper.
Insisting that the clash between pro-federalists and anti-federalists would lead to strong competition in the district, KC said that the challenges have been added on him by fielding candidacy from there.
“Baglung district is the epicenter of communist movement. I am hopeful that the people will vote for me,” said KC. He further claimed that the boundary of anti-federalists was shrinking day after day.
“The country has witnessed great movements in the past just for the sake of federalism,” said KC. He insisted that the federal set up in the country would make the country more inclusive and ensure proper representation of all.
“Federalism brings national unity. It binds the various ethnic communities into a thread,” added KC, stating that there is no ground for anti-federalists in the country.
He further said that the federalism was the main the agenda of their party.
Likewise, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Jagdish Chandra Upadhyaya claimed that the attraction towards their party was increasing day by day. He admits that the poll battle in the district is between pro-federalists and anti-federalist forces.
He further said that RJMN leaders Lilbahadur Thapa Magar and Tulshi Aryal´s defection to UCPN (Maoist) have affected the anti-federalists. Upadhyay then went to claim that the leaders belonging to RJMN have been lately quitting the party.
“The factions in the UCPN (Maoist) and RJMN have created conducive environment for us and we will come victorious from the district,” said Upadhyay. He then charged the communist forces of not being serious toward constitution drafting process. “The people´s attraction is increasing toward us.”
“The ultimate goal is to find the space in CA- no matter whether a candidate is contesting from the PR or the FPTP system,” said Chitra Bahadur KC. He claimed that his victory under the PR is certain as people´s sentiment is attached to his party.
Ramji Sharma had got the victory in the last CA election, securing 15,786 votes, representing the UML.
At constituency-2, RJMN Chairperson KC got victory by securing 12,595 votes. Likewise, NC´s Nar Bahadur Pun came victorious from constituency-3.
The parties have fielded new faces at the constituencies of the district. Hari Bahadur Khadaka, Prakash Shrama Paudyal, and Gyan Kumari Chhatyal are contesting the poll from constituencies 1, 2 and 3, respectively, representing NC.
Similarly, Hira KC, Surya Pathak and Shanti Adhikary are contesting from constituencies 1, 2 and 3, respectively, representing the UML.
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