Jaleshwar, December 2 Mahottari Constituency No 3 will witness a triangular contest between Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal leader Mahantha Thakur, the left alliance’s Bijay Chaudhary and independent candidate Chandeshwar Jha. Thakur, who had contested two Constituent Assembly elections from a Sarlahi constituency, lost both. He is now contesting from this constituency as he considers it safe because Madhes sentiments are strong here; and Mahottari is his birth place. On the other hand, Chaudhary expects to gain from the UML-MC alliance. He expects to cash in on the caste divide. Chandeshwar Jha, who had won from this constituency in the second CA elections, is also expected to put up a good fight here. The fight in Mahottari-1 will be between the left alliance’s Giri Raj Mani Pokharel and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal’s Laxmi Mahato.  Pokharel, who won both CA elections from this constituency, expects to benefit from the UML-MC alliance. Some areas of this constituency are considered traditional stronghold of communist forces. Mahato, on the other hand, expects to benefit from the alliance between his party and the RJP-N. The Koiri caste comprises a strong vote bank in this constituency and they are expected to vote for Koiris. The contest between RJP-N candidate Sharat Singh Bhandari and Nepali Congress’ Kiran Yadav is expected to be fierce in Mahottari-2. Bhandari, who had won parliamentary elections before the 2013 CA election, is considered a heavyweight. He expects to win Brahmin, Bhumihar,   Muslim, OBC and Dalit votes, particularly the Musahar and Mallah votes. Although Yadavs are in majority in this constituency, NC’s Kiran Yadav, who won from a Mahottari constituency in the two CA elections, faces anti-incumbency factor. Some of Yadav’s party cadres are unhappy with her for not protecting their interests when she was MP. Mahottari-4 will witness triangular contest between left alliance candidate M Razi Haidar, NC’s Mahendra Kumar Ray (Yadav) and FSF-N’s Surendra Kumar Yadav. Haidar expects to benefit from the UML-MC alliance and his own image of an honest, committed political figure. Haidar, formerly an NC man, joined the CPN-MC four years ago after the NC did not give him ticket to contest parliamentary elections. NC’s Mahendra Kumar Ray and FSF-N’s Surendra Yadav expect to get the Yadav votes. These two also are expected to polarise Hindu and Muslim voters in the final hours of voting.