Rajbiraj, August 29

Wanna-be candidates from different political parties for the third round of civic polls scheduled for September 18 have started election publicity campaign even though the parties are yet to decide on the candidates for Rajbiraj Municipality in Saptari.

From early morning to late evening, these aspirants have been reaching voters’ houses seeking votes. It is said that two or more probable candidates vying for the same post from the same party are campaigning on their own though the party has not finalised the candidates’ names formally.

Meanwhile, the Saptari office of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, yesterday, recommended the names of eight probable mayoral candidates for Rajbiraj Municipality to the party’s central committee. Amar Kanta Jha, Dipendra Chaudhary, Shambhu Yadav, Laxman Yadav, Binod Yadav, Manish Kumar Suman, Netra Bikram Sah and Paramananda Meheta were recommended as possible candidates for the municipality. They individually claimed that the party would offer the ticket to them.

Similarly, Baiku Sah and Ashok Lal Yadav, are the probable candidates for ward chairman in Ward No 7 of the municipality. They are also campaigning on their own.

In like manner, Bhim Raj Yadav of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal has started election publicity campaign in the municipality on his own. District Committee joint secretary Brija Man Tamang of the FSF-N said that Yadav has involved in door-to-door campaigning from early morning till late evening.

Likewise, district Chairman Sailesh Kumar Chaudhary of Nepal Democratic Forum has also been busy meeting voters and holding discussions. A former mayor, Chaudhary has decided to file his candidacy for the mayoral post in the municipality for the third round of local level elections.

CPN-Maoist Centre has almost decided to offer the mayoral ticket to former supply minister Mohammad Anish Ansari in Rajbiraj Municipality. A source said the party has yet to announce Ansari’s name formally though he is involved in election publicity campaign. The source added that Ansari had already met party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for the same in Biratnagar yesterday.

Nepali Congress is yet to finalise its candidates for the third round of civic polls in Rajbiraj Municipality. Shambhu Lal Dev, Dhruba Prasad Dev, Mohammed Irshad Ansari, among others, have claimed candidacy for mayoral post and are involved in the election publicity campaign.

Similarly, possible mayoral candidate Sukharam Yadav of the CPN-UML for Rajbiraj Municipality has also started election publicity campaign. Mamata Chaudhary, the possible deputy mayoral candidate for the municipality, is also involved in meeting voters and holding discussions.