Those who didn’t vote

Daily wage laborers say earning evening meal a higher priority

KATHMANDU, May 15: A few meters away from the historic Durbar High School, one of the polling centers of the Sunday's election, a rickshaw puller scanned around the streets looking for potential passengers. Unfazed by the continuous buzz from the polling station, his only goal of the day was to earn enough to buy a meal later in the day.

Hailing from Salle Bhumlu-2 of Kavre district, 57-year-old Saila Lama has been making a living pulling the paddles of rickshaw in Kathmandu Valley since the past 20 years. Although he had visited his village to cast vote in the previous three elections, he showed indifference this time around.

"I had cast my vote in the local election of 1997 and two Constitution Assembly (CA) elections after that. The party and candidate I voted had won. But immediately after winning, they forgot their promises which still have remained unfulfilled," said Lama, sharing his disappointment.

The bitter past experience is not the only reason making him reluctant to cast vote. Lama further accused major political parties of depriving them of a serious local election by deliberately fielding undeserving candidates.

"Most of the candidates in my local unit are new leaders but they carry the same old mentality. They can spend millions of rupees in election promotion campaigns, but disappear when people need them the most," said Lama, who currently lives in Hattigauda of the capital.

"Where were they when we were forced to live in open sky for months after the quake destroyed our houses? If the political leaders had helped us in the time of our need, we would have elected them even if they don't spend millions; they also wouldn't need to come to our house and beg for votes."

Not just him, many laborers who have to rely on daily wage have chosen to stay back instead of going to their hometown and villages to cast vote. Nawaraj Bhujel, 40, of Charikot-6, Dolakha district, is another such character.

Early on Sunday morning when the election was starting to grip the Valley's atmosphere, Bhujel was seen under the Bhotahiti's sky bridge just across the Ratna Park where many laborers wait to get recruited for construction works and carrying loads. Although at least three polling stations were within the distance of 10 minutes' walk from the place, he was not excited at all as his face bore a plain look.

"I only have myself to depend on for the livelihood. Earning a daily meal is in a higher priority for me than traveling to my village to cast vote in the election," Bhujel shared. "My brother was affiliated to the CPN (Maoist Center). Some years ago, he died of heart attack while doing the party's bidding at Gaushala. However, for the party, he is just another pawn."

"Now I don't have much expectation from whoever wins the election," he further added.