MAKAWANPUR, FEBRUARY 9 With the House of Representatives election drawing closer, candidates in Makawanpur constituency-2 have intensified door-to-door campaigns to win voter support. A total of 21 candidates, 16 from political parties and five independents, are in the fray, making the contest more competitive with the entry of new political forces. Major contenders include Buddha Lama (Nepali Congress), Mahesh Kumar Bartaula (CPN-UML), Ram Bahadur Thokar (RPP), and Prashant Upreti (Rastriya Swatantra Party), among others. Notably, no political party has fielded a female candidate in the direct election. Pratiksha Baniya, contesting as an independent, is the only woman candidate. The constituency covers multiple local units of Makawanpur district and has 156,899 voters, including 74,566 women and 82,333 men, with 105 voting centres and 196 polling stations. It also includes remote areas dominated by Chhepang and Tamang communities. While candidates from established parties stress past performance and development work, newer parties argue voters are seeking alternative leadership and fresh ideas. (With inputs from RSS)