He reached the newly established Election Office at the Cooperatives Division building at 10 A.M. to file candidacy for the Constituent Assembly election from Chitwan constituency no. 1. [break]
Praja, who says he is representing the marginalized Chepang community, was welcomed by election officer Lila Devi Gadtaula. Praja registered his candidacy from the Nepal Jagaran Party (NJP).
According to Praja, he will work for education, health, sanitation and employment for people of his community, which still lives a semi-nomadic life. “My victory would help to include the Chepang community´s rights in the new constitution,” he said.
Praja, a father of four, has had schooling up to lower secondary level. “My fellow villagers sent me to file candidacy saying I would surely win. At a time when the issue of inclusion is hitting the headlines, the Chepang community should have at least one representative of their own in the CA,” said Praja.
Praja, who voted for CPN-Maoist candidate Ram Bahadur Thapa in the last CA poll, said Thapa did not turn up even once in his village after the election.
Praja informed that he has managed some Rs 300,000 for poll publicity. He started saving money he earned as a building contractor and construction worker.
Praja competes with Surendra Panday from CPN(UML), Rajendra Burlakoti from NC and Sangita Bhattarai of UCPN(Maoist).
Meanwhile, another Chepang, Raj Kumar Praja, has filed candidacy from consistency no. 5, also on a NJP ticket. Raj Kumar´s main opponents are Amik Sherchan from UCPN (Maoist), Sabita Baral of NC and Dan Bahadur Tamang of CPN(UML). Over 30,000 Chepangs live in Chitwan.
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