NEPALGUNJ, Oct 24: The formation of electoral alliances has resulted in many political leaders being dissatisfied with their own party. Such dissatisfaction has led to registration of rebel candidacies, creating problems for the alliances.
One such rebel candidate is Govind Bikram Shah of the CPN-UML. Shah has registered for the polls as an independent candidate to contest the upcoming elections against the Jajarkot candidate fielded by the left alliance forged between his own party and the CPN (Maoist Center). The alliance has been making various attempts to make Shah withdraw his candidacy.
However, Shah had not withdrawn his candidacy as of Tuesday evening. Instead, he is using his rebel candidacy as a bargaining chip, demanding an important position for himself inside the party.
“The party has been promising me a prestigious position for a very long time. But they are yet to live up to their promise,” said a disgruntled Shah, talking to Republica over the phone.
NC expels rebel candidates for five years
To withdraw his candidacy, Shah has asked the party to ensure his candidacy either for the National Assembly or provincial/parliamentary elections under the Proportional Representation (PR) category. “Let's see how the party responds to my sentiments,” he said.
About a dozen people have been registered as independent candidates in the seven districts of Province 6. Many of them have been bargaining hard with their parties for a better position.
UML and Maoist Center of the left alliance have filed separate candidacies in Humla and Jajarkot for three seats of the provincial elections. These candidates, too, have been bargaining hard with their parties. Their demands too are familiar - make them the alliance's official candidates, or provide them candidacy under the PR category, or secure their candidacy for the future.
Maoist Center leader Chhakka Bahadur Lama, who has filed his candidacy for the parliamentary elections from Humla as an independent candidate, said party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has assured him a berth in the National Assembly.
“I did not bargain for a position. Dahal proposed it to me himself,” said Lama, “My bargaining is for the people and is related with their sentiments.”
