The major political parties--Nepali Congress (NC), UCPN (Maoist) and CPN (UML)--are busy trying to impress voters with their ambitious plans for the district.[break]
The major parties are courting the voters by exposing the shortcomings of the Madhesi parties. Among the 12 election constituencies of Siraha and Saptari districts, the Madhesi parties had won in 10 constituencies. But this time they will not be so lucky.
“We are disappointed with the Madhesi parties as they treat us merely as a vote bank,” said the voters. “I don´t find any valid reason for voting in favor of the Madhesi parties,” they said.
Rival candidates from the NC and UML are trying to sway the voters, saying, “The Madhesi parties abandoned their agenda following one split after another.” These candidates are trying their best to expose the Madhesi parties. Candidates from NC, UML and the Maoists are accusing Madhesi parties of opportunism.
Meanwhile, the voters in the two districts are saying that Madhesi parties have lost their grip.
In the previous poll, Madhesi parties had won five constituencies out of the six in Saptari district. It seems that only three constituencies in the district will see a tough poll battle between the Madhesi parties. There will be neck-to-neck competition among Madhesi People´s Right Forum-Nepal (MPRF-N), MPRF-D and MPRF-R in constituencies number 2, 4 and 6. However, in the remaining constituencies of the district, the major parties appear in a strong position.
Similarly, NC candidate Padma Narayan Chaudhary and UCPN (Maoist) candidate Muni Sah appear to be in close competition in constituency number 1, Siraha. Chaudhary and Sah were in second and fourth places respectively in the last election. Chaudhary said his victory is certain this time as the people have reassured him. Sah went on to claim that his victory was certain this time also as he had taken initiative in development work at the municipality while he was mayor. Likewise, UML candidate Rajendra Mahato is also contending against Chaudhary and Sah. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 46,889.
MPRF-R candidate Raj Lal Yadav, who had won in the last election from constituency number 2 on a MPRF-N ticket, is trying his best to win this time as well but his close rival Ram Chandra Yadav, a UML candidate, is going to the voters and telling them that the Madhesi parties as opportunists.
Jitendra Yadav and Surya Narayan Yadav of UCPN (Maoist) and NC respectively are new faces and it is belived they are yet to become seasoned enough to take on the old faces. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 48,698.
Voters say that MPRF-N candidate Bijay Kumar Yadav, who had won in the previous election from constituency number 3, is contesting from the same constituency, but is not a strong candidate. NC candidate Sita Devi Yadav seems strong in the constituency as women´s sentiment is with her. However, UML´s Pramod Kumar Yadav is a challenge. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 50,015.
Satrudhan Singh Koiri, who won in the previous election from constuency number 4, representing MPRF-N, is representing MPRF-D this time. However, the people´s wave is not with Koiri this time as UML´s Ram Awatar Yadav is a strong candidate in the constituiency.
Similarly, NC´s Ram Chandra Yadav and UCPN (Maoist)´s Ram Kumar Yadav are also serious contenders there. Voters in the constituency say the Yadav community would go in favor of a candidate belonging to the same community. The Yadavs are in a majority in the constituency. However, Koiri says that the clash between Yadav candidates would eventually benefit him. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 44,250.
In constituency number 5, UCPN (Maoist) candidate Pushpa Kamal Dahal has a lot on his plate as rival parties are informally supporting UML´s Lila Nath Shrestha. Apart from that, the challenge Dahal faces is further aggravated by the fact that former lawmaker from his own party Jagat Prasad Yadav and former Maoist combatant Prabesh Lama are now his contenders.
They are in the field as independent candidates. However, UCPN (Maoist) leaders believe that their party would win in the constituency as the majority of Jan Morcha cadres have joined them lately. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 49,122.
In constituency number 6 of the district, MPRF-R Chairman Raj Kishore Yadav will have a tough fight on his hands against NC´s Ganesh Mandal. Mandal is a new face in the constituency. Voter sentiment is for Mandal as Yadav has failed to address the concerns of the constituency. Voters have accused Yadav of splitting the MPRF-N merely for the sake of a ministerial portfolio. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 52,045. The district has 243 candidates.
Meanwhile, in constituency number 1 of Saptari, MPRF-N candidate Hem Raj Tated, who won from the same constituency in the previous poll, is in a good position. UCPN (Maoist) candidate Surya Nath Prasad Yadav is also a contender there. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 54,836.
In constituency number 2, UCPN (Maoist)´s Ashok Kumar Mandal and MPRF-N´s Shailendra Sah seem to be strong candidates against Sadbhawana Party (SP)´s Nawal Kishor Sah. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 45,723.
However, MPRF-N´s candidate for constituency number 4, Renu Kumari Yadav, who won the last election from the same constituency, will face many challenges. The voters have accused Yadav of running after power rather than championing the cause of Madhes. NC and UML are in a strong position in the constituency. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 47,768.
In constituency 5, there will be a tough battle between UML´s Govinda Neupane and NC´s Teju Lal Chaudhary. MPRF-D´s Mrigendra Kumar Singh is also in the race in the constituency. The number of voters in the constituency stands at 48,016. The number of candidates in the district stands at 250.
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