CHITWAN, DECEMBER 26

The residents of Chitwan were visibly happy after Chairperson of the CPN-Maoist Centre Pushpa Kamal Dahal was appointed the prime minister today. They have high expectations that he will carry out development activities in his home district.

Chair Dahal, who was elected to the House of Representatives in the erstwhile elections from Chitwan Constituency 3, did initiate many development projects when he led the government, said the local people.

'So, this time also we expect him to continue these projects and begin new ones,' said a local resident.

Over Rs 40 billion has been invested in Dahal's constituency and Bharatpur Metropolitan City in a period of five years, according to metropolis Mayor Renu Dahal. He had taken the main leadership in bringing the projects to the area, she said. The constituency covers more than half of the metropolis and the entire Madi Municipality.

Although Dahal won the recently concluded polls from Gorkha, he is a guardian of Chitwan district, claimed Mayor Renu, adding that was why the local people expected him to carry out development activities.

'Dahal is a guardian of Chitwan. It is his responsibility to hear and address demands of the local people irrespective of the fact that he won the election from Gorkha this time. He has a role in the development of the entire metropolis,' she said.

NC leader Rajan Gautam, who is also the former president of Chitwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hopes the premiership of Dahal will bring development opportunities for Chitwan. Though this time, the leader was elected to the House of Representatives from Gorkha, Chitwan is his hometown and his premiership will obviously contribute to the prosperity of the district, he added.

Raju Poudel, also a former president of Chitwan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the district witnessed a good pace of development when Dahal was their representative in the federal Parliament and the wave of development would be further accelerated during his premiership.

'The district could set examples in terms of development during the term of Dahal as the prime minister,' he said.

CPN-UML leader Bijay Subedi said the premiership of Dahal was itself an opportunity for the district. Dahal had brought big projects to the district while he was the prime minister earlier and this time he was expected to complete the pending projects.

The big projects such as Narayani Embankment Project were introduced during his previous premiership and the Chitwan folks should fully utilise his third premiership.

Capital and resources are preconditions for development and we hope Dahal's premiership will facilitate the district in managing such resources.

Dahal's permanent residence lies at Shivanagar.

A version of this article appears in the print on December 27, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.