Kathmandu, April 20

The three top leaders of the ruling alliance - Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chair Madhav Kumar Nepal solicited votes for Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal Chair Upendra Yadav who is contesting parliamentary by-election from Bara-2 constituency on April 23.

Addressing a campaign rally today, Prime Minister Dahal said JSP-N leader Upendra Yadav was a national leader whose contribution in the Parliament was desired. 'Yadav's victory will be the victory of not only Madhes but also of the country. His victory will also be the victory of the constitution of federal democratic republican order. His victory will signify the victory of political change,' PM Dahal added.

Stating that the current coalition was formed to protect the constitution and democracy, PM Dahal said Yadav's victory would help strengthen democracy, the constitution and promote prosperity. The PM said the citizenship problem was the nation's and not only Madhes'.

He said long-term solution to citizenship problems would be sought.

'This time we have a president who will untie the knot, not entangle the issue,' the PM said in an oblique reference to ex-president Bidhya Devi Bhandari's pocket veto against the citizenship bill which was passed twice by the Parliament but was not enacted.

The PM said the five-party alliance was a result of struggle to fight the attempt to derail the constitution and dissolve the House of Representatives twice.

The PM's remarks were aimed at former PM KP Sharma Oli's move to dissolve the HoR twice which was nullified by the Supreme Court.

Yadav, who lost the November 20 Parliamentary election to CK Raut in Saptari-3 constituency, is trying his luck again. Bara-2 constituency became vacant after incumbent lawmaker Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav was elected vice-president. Janamat Party Chair CK Raut, who is competing with Yadav for political domination in Madhes, has fielded Shivachandra Kushwaha.

Rastriya Swatantra Party has fielded former DIG Ramesh Kharel in this constituency.

'Yadav's victory will not only be victory of Madhes, but victory of the nation'

A version of this article appears in the print on April 21, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.