ITAHARI, April 24: As Nepal gears up for the local polls slated for May 13, the main opposition CPN (UML) has finalized its candidates for two Sub-Metropolitan Cities of Province 1.
The five-party ruling alliance has not yet finalized the names of mayoral and deputy mayor candidates for these two sub-metropolitan cities of the province.
Making Itahari a model city: Election agenda of candidates
In Itahari, UML has picked incumbent Itahari UML Chairman Yam Subba as its mayoral candidate. For deputy mayoral candidacy, UML has picked Sangita Chaudhary. An indigenous inhabitant of Itahari, Chaudhary is the incumbent joint-secretary at All Nepal Women's Association (ANWA) Itahari chapter. ANWA is UML's sister organization for women. Both Subba and Chaudhary are new faces for the local level polls. They have not worked in any local level position before.
Likewise in Dharan, UML has picked Manju Bhandari as its mayoral candidate. Bhandari is the incumbent deputy mayor of Dharan. She had also worked as the acting mayor of Dharan from 2075 BS to 2076 BS. UML has chosen Padam Prashad Limbu as the deputy mayor of Dharan. Limbu has also worked as Ward Number 19 chairperson during the time of mayor Manoj Menyangbo from 2054 BS to 2059 BS.
Dharan and Itahari are the only two sub-metropolitan cities in Province 1. UML has fielded a woman as the mayor for a Sub-Metropolitan City (Dharan) for the first time.
