• Of them, 159 are independents • Less than 15 per cent women candidates in the electoral fray
KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 1
A total of 359 people of various parties and independents have filed their candidacy in the 15 constituencies in Kathmandu valley for the federal election to be held on November 20.
Of all the candidates, 53 are women while the remaining 306 are men. This means less than 15 per cent of candidates are female contestants. Similarly, a total of 139 people have filed their candidacy as independents.
There are 10 constituencies in Kathmandu district, three in Lalitpur, and two in Bhaktapur inside the valley. Of all the constituencies, the highest number of 16 independent candidates are vying for the House of Representatives member from Constituency No 16. Similarly, 14 candidate each from Constituencies 4 and 5 have filed their candidacy.
In a similar manner, the lowest number of two independent candidates are vying from Constituency No 10 from Kathmandu district.
Some of the senior leaders of major political parties that are vying from the same constituencies are Prakash Man Singh of Nepali Congress and Kiran Poudel of NCP-UML.
Former journalist and a popular face Rabindra Mishra of the pro-monarchy party Rastriya Prajatantra Party is also vying from the same constituency.
Former deputy House speaker and minister Onsari Gharti Magar is vying from Kathmandu Constituency No 2 against whom Maniram Phuyal of CPN-UML is contesting.
In constituency 4, old rivals Rajan Bhattari of CPN- UML and former minister Gagan Kumar Thapa of NC are competing.
Similarly, former minister Ishwor Pokharel, representing CPN-UML is competing with youth leaser Pradeep Poudyal of NC in Constituency No 5.
Sarbendra Khanal, former chief of Nepal Police, representing CPN-UML is competing with Bhimsen Das Pradhan, who is representing the NC in Constituency No 6.
Daughter of former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, Ashmita Singh (Manusi) Yami Bhattarai, representing Nepal Communist Party-Maoist Centre, is competing from Constituency No 7 with support from the NC.
In Bhaktapur Constituency No 1, the undefeated Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party is repeating the candidacy of Prem Suwal, against whom Nawaraj Gelal of CPN-UML and Sunil Gothe of NCP-MC are competing. Former minister and youth leader of CPN- UML who is also the current lawmaker from Bhaktapur Constituency 2 is competing with a new candidate Durlav Thapa Chhetri of NC in the area.
Former DIG of Nepal Police and lawmaker of Lalitpur Constituency No 1 of CPN-UML Nawaraj Silwal is competing against Udaya Sumsher JBR, youth leader of the NC in the same area. Pampha Bhusal former minister and senior leader of NCP-MC is vying from Lalitpur-3 against Amrit Khadka of CPN-UML.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 2, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
