Rajbiraj, September 8

As many as 5,686 candidates from various political parties have filed their nominations for 856 posts in the third phase of civic polls slated for September 18 in Saptari.

Of them, 214 have filed their candidacies for mayoral post in nine municipalities and chairperson in as many rural municipalities of the district. Likewise, 166 candidates have registered their candidacy for posts of deputy mayoral  and deputy chair and 1,217 for the post of chair in 164 wards in the district.

Similarly, as many as 230, 982 and 1,074 candidates have registered their nominations for as members under the open, Dalit and women categories.

According to District Election Office, Saptari, 13 candidates, including three independents are in the fray for the post of mayor of Rajbiraj Municipality, while nine others have filed their nominations for the post of deputy mayor of the municipality. In total, 547 candidates have filed their nominations for 82 posts in the municipality.

The Office of  Chief Returning Officer said Dhruba Prasad Dev and Sushila Kumari Yadav from NC, Sukhram Yadav and Mamata Chaudhary from CPN-UML and Anish Ansari and Sumitra Kumari Yadav from CPN-Maoist Centre have registered their candidacies for posts of mayor and deputy mayor of the municipality, respectively.

Likewise, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal’s Bhimraj Yadav and Kiran Kumar Sah, Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal’s Shambhu Prasad Yadav and Sadhana Jha, Nepal Democratic Forum’s Sailesh Kumar Chaudhary and Laxmi Chaudhary are also contesting for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the municipality, respectively.

Eight candidates have filed their nominations for mayor and nine others for deputy mayor of Saptakoshi Municipality. Election Officer Rajendra Kumar Lamsal informed that as many as 270 candidates had filed their nominations for 67 posts in the municipality.

NC’s Krishna Prasad Dhakal and Rita Kumari Chaudhary, UML’s Uttam Kumar Gautam and Asha Chaudhary, the Maoist Centre’s Dhruba Karki and Raj Kumari Chaudhary, Nepal Democratic Forum’s Ashok Kumar Chaudhary and Chitra Pant, Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal’s Umesh Yadav and Sonam Kumari Yadav, Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal’s Mahes Prasad Yadav and Rambha Kumari Sardar have filed their nominations for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in municipality respectively.

As many as 510 candidates including 12 mayoral candidates have filed nomination for Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality. Likewise, 367 candidates including 10 mayoral candidates have filed their nominations in Kanchanrup Municipality, while 384 others including 11 mayoral candidates are in the poll fray for Surunga Municipality.

Likewise, 419 candidates including 11 mayoral aspirants, 345 including 11 mayoral candidates, 410 including 14 mayoral candidates and 380 including 12 mayoral candidates have filed their nominations in Shambhunath, Dakneswori, Khadak and Bodewarsain municipalities respectively.

Similarly, 252 candidates, including 16 candidates for chair are in the poll fray at Bishnupur Rural Municipality, while 304 others including 14 candidates for chair, 296 including 16 candidates for chair, 200 including nine candidates for chair, 194 including eight candidates for chair, 185 including 13 candidates for chair, 190 including 13 candidates for chair and 166 including 11 candidates for chair have filed their nominations in Tilathi Koiladi, Chhinnamasta, Mahadeva, Rupani, Tirhuta, Welhi Chapena, and Balan Bihul rural municipalities respectively.

With the filing of nominations, political parties have intensified their election campaigns.