Rajbiraj, September 8

After Saroj Kumar Yadav, 36, of a martyr’s family in Saptari’s Bishnupur Rural Municipality-1 filed his nomination for the post of ward chairperson as an independent candidate, he is being pressured to withdraw his candidacy.

Yadav joined the poll fray after parties ignored the martyr’s family. Yadav’s father Darshan was killed in a clash with police during the April 2006 movement.

Similarly, Saroj’s elder brother Binod Kumar was arrested by then Royal Nepal Army and shot dead. Saroj’s family has not yet received Binod’s body yet.

Saroj said he had to file nomination as an independent candidate as big parties like the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre ignored him and his family.

Yadav said that all his four brothers were still unemployed, though the government had promised jobs to them. “I met then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Oli, but in vain,” he bemoaned.

He further added that he decided to contest the polls to fulfil his father and brother’s dream as they sacrificed their lives for the cause of marginalised people.He shared that parties were exerting pressure on him to withdraw his candidacy.

Yadav expressed his commitment to do something substantial. He expressed his hope to clinch victory and serve the people of his ward. “I am the only person to file the nomination from a martyr’s family in the entire rural municipality. I believe that people will vote for me not the party candidates,” he said.