Bajura, June 26

Khamma Sarki of Bajura, Budhiganga Municipality has returned home after eight years. A permanent job-holder in a company in New Delhi, India, Sarki didn’t participate in the Constituent Assembly election earlier, but plans to take the opportunity this time to choose local representatives after 20 long years.

“As the local polls carry far more significance than the Constituent Assembly election for common folk like me, I decided not to blow this chance,” said Sarki, adding he wanted to vote for leaders who are capable of changing the face of the village and the district as a whole.

Dhansingh Rokaya is a permanent resident of Chhededaha Rural Municipality. Having left for India two years ago, he is now home to participate in the second phase of civic polls taking place on Wednesday.

“As this is a rare opportunity to select our own leaders, I decided to return,” he said.

According to Rokaya, many youths from the village who were working in India have returned home for the local level polls.

“Every day 200 to 300d people return from India these days. We haven’t seen such an influx of people even during the major festivals,” said Khadgaraj Joshi at a bus counter in Betalmandau, Bajura.

Khagendra Singh of the Bajura-based ticket counter of Pawandut Transportation said that five to seven additional buses are plying to the far western district every day these days carrying homecoming youths.

Bhawai Serala of Barhabisa, Bajura, is enthused about the festival-like environment in the village.

“Just a few days ago, we were a few people here. Now that youths have come home, the village has come to life with people speculating about the polls,” he said.