Though they have several other grievances that directly affect their daily lives, voters of Kathmandu-6 said that during their meetings with different candidates their chief demand has been promulgation of the new constitution with utmost priority.[break]
"Our main demand has been the new constitution because otherwise the country would fall into further crises. We need a full-fledged constitution for political stability as that would create grounds for progress in other sectors as well," said Harsha Shrestha, a local of Shuvakamana chowk in Manamaiju VDC.
Shrestha said that people in the area have been facing serious problems such as shortage of drinking water, poor road conditions and sewage. According to him, locals in the area have informed candidates about the issues but they have raised their concerns for new constitution more strongly.
Himal Sharma of UCPN (Maoist), Bhimsen Das Pradhan of Nepali Congress (NC) and Yogesh Bhattarai of CPN-UML are contesting from the constituency.
According to Shrestha´s assessment, UCPN (Maoist) is more active in mobilizing the party´s local organization for election campaign, while CPN-UML seemed ahead in publicity campaigns. "Also, Nepali Congress has fielded a strong candidate in this constituency, therefore, there will be a tough competition among the three parties -- UCPN (Maoist), NC and UML," said Shrestha.
Then, he concluded the conversation abruptly and entered his house and came out with a bunch of flowers to greet UCPN (Maoist) candidate Sharma.
Sharma and Bhattarai were busy in door-to-door campaign around Manamaiju and Nepaltar and other neighboring areas on Saturday, while NC´s Pradhan held interactions with locals at Dharmasthali and surrounding areas the entire day.
As UCPN (Maoist) and UML candidates were visiting locals at their homes, members of the two parties seemed to be vying for effective ways to win the attention of the residents.
Locals themselves were very enthusiastic in greeting their favorite candidates. Some locals drew the election symbol of UCPN (Maoist), hammer and sickle, with vermillion and flowers at their gates, while others drew sketch of UML election symbol, sun, to welcome their candidates.
Bishnu Pokharel, a teacher at Nepaltaar, said that locals and candidates from Kathmandu-6 are giving more priority to constitution making. Another teacher Tularam Dhakal, who was accompanying Pokharel, echoed the latter.
UCPN (Maoist) candidate Sharma said that locals have sought his role in making the "urban areas more managed and making the rural parts of the constituency more beautiful." Other concerns of the voters are to generate employments in the local areas, ensuring reliable supply of electricity and drinking water.
Voters at Dharmasthali sought effective role of NC candidate Pradhan in solving similar difficulties.
Sharma of UCPN (Maoist) said that strong presence of his party organization in the area and increased support from the youth, women and various other sections of the society were very encouraging for him.
"The major ground for my victory is our party´s political agenda of change, which has driven the political course of the entire country. Secondly, strong organizational presence is my strength," Sharma told Republica.
NC´s Pradhan said as the poll date is approaching fast he has become quite confident mainly by receiving support from intellectual and Kathmandu´s local Newar community.
"I have received overwhelming support from intellectual society, local Newar community and other sections of society. They supported me because they liked our major political agenda such as multiple identity-based federal system," he said.
According to him, every day scores of members from other parties and independent voters have been joining the NC in his constituency.
Similar is the claim by CPN-UML candidate Bhattarai as well. "Our door-to-door campaign has started to seem like victory rallies because wherever we go, locals have greeted us with garlands and vermillion powders," said Bhattarai. He said that locals have shown warm welcome to him because he has been continuously working for the development of the constituency.
Man Kumar Gajurel, a shopkeeper at Loktantrikchowk, a major square at Manamaiju, has been continuously observing rallies, gatherings and publicity campaign of political parties in the area since the last couple of weeks. He said the major three parties -- UCPN (Maoist), NC and CPN-UML -- dominate other political forces in the election campaign. "It seems that one of the candidates from these three major political parties will win the election," said Gajurel.
Candidates from other parties such as Keshav Sthapit of Federal Socialist Party Nepal (FSPN) and Nim Bahadur Budhamagar of Rastriya Janamorcha have also intensified their campaign at the constituency.
Budhamagar, who was interacting with locals at Nepaltaar and nearby areas, said that voters have warmly welcomed them during the campaign. "We never saw such a tremendous support in the past. This time around voters have given special attention to us because they have realized in the last four years that our party´s anti-federalist stance is the right political course for our country," said Budhamagar.
Sthapit, who is contesting on FSPN ticket, is seen as a game-changer in the constituency. Though Sthapit is unlikely to win the election but the votes that he gets can be crucial in deciding the fate of other top contenders. Some believe that the votes he gets will put UML´s Bhattarai in trouble because Sthapit is former UML leader. He joined FSPN on the same day when he filed his candidacy.
Some other believed that the votes he secures may also affect NC´s Pradhan because both leaders are from Kathmandu´s local Newar community. In the last CA election, UCPN (Maoist) candidate Hitman Shakya won from Kathmandu-6 but he is now with the agitating CPN-Maoist party that has boycotted the entire election process.
Sharma is originally from Baglung and Bhattarai from Taplejung district. Sharma is the chairperson of the student wing of UCPN (Maoist) and Bhattarai a central committee member of his party.
All the three candidates -- Sharma, Bhattarai and Sthapit -- were with the erstwhile CPN-ML led by Bamdev Gautam. During the time, Bhattarai was head of the party´s student wing, while Sharma was its treasurer. Later, the party was reunified with the CPN-UML. Sharma joined the then underground Maoist party before the reunification between CPN-UML and CPN-ML.
Kathmandu-6
Sangla, Jhor Mahankal, Kavresthali, Dharmasthali, Phutung, Manamaiju, Gongabu, KMC wards 29, 30, 31
Himal Sharma
A central committee member of UCPN (Maoist) and the chief of the Maoist student wing, Sharma is known as an influential student and youth leader. "The major ground for my victory is our party´s political agenda of change, which has driven the political course of the entire country. Also, we have strong organizational presence compared to others," said Sharma.
Bhimsendas Pradhan
Presently, the NC´s district president of Kathmandu, Pradhan served as chairperson of the University Teachers´ Association in the past. "I have received overwhelming support from intellectual society, local Newar community and other sections of the society. They supported me because they liked our major political agendas such as multiple identity-based federal system," said Pradhan.
Yogesh Bhattarai
A central committee member of CPN-UML, Bhattarai, who was chairperson of the party´s student wing in the past, is known as popular youth leader. "Our door-to-door campaign has started to seem like victory rallies because wherever we go, locals have greeted us with garlands and vermillion powders," said Bhattarai.
Top three contenders in first CA polls in 2008
Hitman Shakya CPN-Maoist 10,768 (elected)
Bhimsendas Pradhan NC 10,058
Yogesh Bhattarai UML 9089
Related story
Voters' list rises in Mugu
