• Though there are four candidates of major parties, tripartite battle is expected in the elections

Biratnagar, November 12

Voters of the Madhesi community are preparing to cast their ballots for candidates who prioritise development agenda and identity issue in their election manifestos, in Morang.

Voters in Morang Constituency No 5, from where Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairperson Upendra Yadav had contested past elections, said that their priority was development not  identity.

Shiva Kumar Mandal of the left alliance, Amrit Aryal of the Nepali Congress and Raj Kumar Yadav of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal are contesting the forthcoming provincial and parliamentary election from the constituency.

Likewise, Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal has fielded Badri Prasad Mandal as its parliamentary election candidate. Though there are four candidates of the major forces, it is surmised that there will be tripartite race in the polls.

The Madhesi voters are more concerned about development than the identity issue as leaders of the region staged several movements in the name of Madhesi people’s rights and proportional representation of the community, but derailed the agenda gradually.

Lakhichandra Yadav of Jatuwa, Biratnagar-14, said he would vote for development rather than identity. Though he cast his ballot for Madhesi Janadhikar Forum in the last CA election, he has remained undecided about casting his ballot this time.

Likewise, Jana Kishor Sah of Biratnagar-16 said he would vote for development-friendly candidate irrespective of the political party. “We achieved nothing though we cast our ballot for the force advocating identity in the last election,” said Sah.

Another voter Surya Narayan Rajbanshi of Jahada Rural Municipality-3 said that it was hard to decide whom to vote for as all the candidates were of the same kind.

Elderly Dhani Lal Yadav, 70, said that Madhesi people’s rights were not on a par with other communities due to lack of the majority in the constitution amendment process. “Hence, I am thinking of casting my ballot for Madhes-centric force’s candidate,” said Yadav. However, he seemed disappointed with the leaders and said they had never worked for the sake of the people and the country. Anushi Devi of Biratnagar metropolis also said her vote would go to a development-friendly candidate.

Then Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal Chairperson Upendra Yadav was elected in the first CA election from Constituency No 5 that was held soon after the Madhes Movement while Nepali Congress’ Amrit Aryal emerged victorious defeating Yadav in the second CA election.