CHITWAN, May 5: Unlike many other districts, major political parties have picked some female candidates for the major posts of various local units in Chitwan.

There are altogether seven local units in the district. Nepali Congress (NC) has nominated a women for the post of chairperson of a rural municipality while CPN-UML for a municipality and CPN (Maoist Centre) for a metropolitan city. Ichhakamana is the only rural municipality of Chitwan where NC has nominated Gita Gurung for the post of chairperson.

There are altogether five nominees vying for the chief of Ichhakamana Rural Municipality and Gurung is the only female candidate. According to sources, NC has a good hold in this area.

Similarly, CPN-UML has chosen Prabha Baral for the post of Mayor of Rapti Municipality.

Though UML has a good grip in this municipality, Baral will have to compete with 10 more candidates for the post. 

As per the details provided by the election office of Rapti Municipality, Mira Kumari Bartaula of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Patali Tamang of Janajagaran Party Nepal (JPN) have filed their candidacies for the mayoral post. Likewise, Gayatri Paneru has filed her nomination an as independent candidate for the same post. Rapti Municipality has the highest number of female candidates for the mayoral post in the district.

In Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has chosen Renu Dahal, who is also the daughter of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, for the post of mayor. It has been reported that there are 15 candidates including three women who will be battling against each other for the chief post of the metropolitan city. 

Similarly, CPN (ML) has nominated Sirjana Ruwali for the mayoral post of Bharatpur Metropolitan City. Besides, Ichhakamana Rural Municipality, Bharatpur Metropolitan City and Rapti Municipality, women have been nominated in Madi Municipality as well. As per the information provided by the election office, Madi, Jamuna Poudel has registered her candidacy for the post of mayor as an independent candidate.

But in other municipalities like Kalika, Ratnanagar and Khairahani, there are only male candidates. For the seven local units of Chitwan, altogether 73 candidates have filed their nomination for the chief post and only nine of them are women.

It has been found that the number of female voters is more than male voters in Chitwan. There are 3 13,000 voters in total and 162,000 of them are females.

 
• political parties
 
• female candidates
 
• local units
 
• chitwan