SINDHULI, Nov 8: With the upcoming parliamentary and provincial elections drawing closer, electoral discussions have gripped almost every nook and corner of Sindhuli district. While candidates busy charting plans to crush their opponents, voters , on the other hand, re contemplating who they should choose in the elections.
Voters in the district have become more conscious to ensure that the candidates they support would not lead them astray. They want to ensure that the representatives they elect are actually serious to work on the overall infrastructural and economic development of their constituencies and province as a whole.
Just like in almost all parts of the country, the main contest in Sindhuli is between the democratic alliance led by Nepali Congress (NC) and the left alliance comprising of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center).
The ruling NC has put its faith in new faces to secure victory in the elections. For instance, it is the first time that NC's parliamentary candidate Prem Chandra Dahal from constituency-1 is contesting the election. Although he is an advocate by profession, NC fielded Dahal considering his long involvement with the party.
Photographs of Sindhuli on display
Although NC's parliamentary election candidate from constituency-2 Narendra Jung Thapa is an old hand, he has never been elected as parliamentarian before.
Thapa has had a good exposure with the public at grass-roots level as a former president of the District Development Committee. He is counting on that very experience to secure the election glory.
On the contrary, the left alliance has fielded veteran politicians with experience of handling top government posts. In constituency-2, NC candidate Thapa faces Maoist Center leader Haribol Gajurel, who is also a former minister for agriculture.
Likewise, the left alliance has fielded UML veteran leader Ganesh Pahadi in constituency-1 for the parliament election. Phahadi is a former member of parliamentary.
NC has again trusted new faces to secure it election victories in the provincial assembly elections. All of the candidates contesting the provincial elections on behalf of the party are completely new faces. The district has two parliamentary constituencies and four provincial constituencies.
Manik Dhakal is contesting from NC in constituency 2 (a) for the provincial assembly seat. Although he has been affiliated to the party for many years, this is the first time he is getting chance to contest in the election. UML youth leader Binod Khadka of the left alliance is contesting against Dhakal. He is also a new face in the election.
NC has fielded another new face Chhetra Bahadur Bamjan in constituency 2 (b). He is better known for his successful career as a construction entrepreneur.
Danga Giri is representing NC from constituency 1 (a) in the provincial election. His main opponent is left alliance's Lekhnath Dahal 'Rajan' of Maoist Center, who faced defeat in the previous election.
In constituency 1 (b), UML candidate Pradeep Katuwal is contesting against NC's Shyam Ghimire. They both are new faces.
