• Parties refrain from revealing chief ministerial candidates’ names fearing discontent among party leaders

Kathmandu, November 2

Though not declared openly, major political parties have fielded senior leaders, who have chances of becoming chief ministers in their respective provinces, for provincial assembly elections.

The constitution has provisions for chief ministers of provinces in Article 168, as per which, a member of a provincial assembly, who commands majority becomes chief minister of the assembly.

A chief minister has been vested with rights to form his provincial cabinet.

Nepali Congress has put forth the names of some its high profile leaders who are potential chief ministers in their respective provinces. “Former tourism minister Jeevan Shahi’s candidacy from Humla for the provincial assembly election is seen as the party’s intention to make him chief minister of Province 6”, a party source told THT.

Likewise, NC leaders Pradeep Paudel and Govinda Bhattarai have filed their nominations from Tanahun for the provincial assembly election. In Province 3, the candidacy of former state minister for home affairs Indra Baniya has been perceived as his pursuit to the post of chief minister of the province.

According to Krishna Paudel from NC’s central office in the Capital, the declaration of chief ministerial candidates before the election for provincial and federal elections is less likely. “If this is done, chief ministerial candidates will be politically targeted or early revelation could brew dissatisfaction among party leaders and that could adversely affect the election campaign,” he added.

In a similar vein, CPN-UML has fielded some of its senior leaders, who were previously considered for parliamentary seats, for provincial assembly elections. The party’s standing committee member Shanker Pokharel is contesting the poll from Dang and is seen as prospective chief minister of Province 6.

The party’s Politburo member Rajendra Pandey, who was elected to the House of Representatives three times also has remained a candidate for the provincial assembly election from Dhading. Likewise, another party leader Sanu Kumar Shestha is contesting the provincial assembly poll from Kathmandu. Both of them are considered aspirants for chief ministerial post.

CPN-Maoist Centre’s central secretariat member Kul Prasad KC is a candidate for provincial assembly poll from Rolpa, whereas another prominent party leader Asha Koirala is contesting the election from Tanahun.

Likewise, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi who has registered his nomination for the polls from Kalikot is also considered a prospective candidate for the chief ministerial post.

Constituency Watch

Panchthar and Sankhuwasabha districts are among the 37 districts where the first phase of provincial and parliamentary elections will be held on November 26

  Panchthar

  Sankhuwasabha

Number of constituencies: 1

Number of constituencies: 1

Number of voters: 125,219

Number of voters: 105,046

•Male: 64,790

•Male: 53,691

•Female: 60,429

•Female: 51,355

•Third gender: 0

•Third gender: 0

House of Representatives

House of Representatives

•First-past-the-post candidates: 9

•First-past-the-post candidates: 11

Candidates from major political parties

Candidates from major political parties

•Nepali Congress : Bhisma Raj Angdambe

•Nepali Congress: Dipak Khadka

•Left alliance: Basanta Kumar Nembang

•Left alliance: Rajendra Prasad Gautam

•Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal:  Lalit Gurung

Provincial Assembly

Provincial Assembly

•Total FPTP candidates: 16

Total  FPTP candidates: 14