KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 12
Dr Toshima Karki has requested Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to take rest and hand over responsibilities to the new generation.
Sharing a Facebook post today, she urged the Nepali people to reach Dadeldhura, the home district of Sher Bahadur Deuba, to support independent candidate Sagar Dhakal.
Both Dr Karki and Sagar Dhakal were present at a programme Sajha Sawal five years ago. They had asked Deuba questions related to politics that infuriated the PM. Dhakal had then come into the limelight.
Both of them are contesting for the Lower House in the upcoming elections. Dr Karki is contesting on a Rastriya Swatantra Party ticket whilst Dhakal is an independent candidate.
She wrote the following status supporting Dhakal on her Facebook Page: "Dear friend Sagar Dhakal, I really wanted to come all the way to Dadeldhura to participate in your election campaign. As the election approaches, I am still fighting as a candidate and the people of Lalitpur are with me. So, I am determined to win Lalitpur Constituency. I see you are being stopped in various ways. But do not panic. We are together in it. I would like to request Deuba to take rest and hand over the concerns of the countrymen to a new generation. Also, I request all the Nepali citizens to reach Dadeldhura to show their support for Sagar Dhakal."
"Look how sweet the coincidence is. Five years ago, we had met in Sajha Sawal with 'Janata ka Prashna'. We waited for five years, but no answer has been delivered yet. After five years, we have brought the 'answers to the question ourselves' and we are back together in the same election from different places. Dear friend, best wishes. By the people's blessing, 'the next meeting will be at the Parliament House."
On November 7, Dhakal had shared a post through his official Facebook page: "Save me. There is nothing left but to plead to the people. All the administration is under the grip of Sher Bahadur, so it is useless to talk. I have now been banned in Dadeldhura for publicity and campaigning. Today, the administration that banned me has allowed Sher Bahadur to participate in the campaign while I am not even allowed to mike like Harka Sampang. I have been stopped." Five years ago in Sajha Sawal Episode 500, Dhakal had questioned about the eligibility criteria to lead the country and discussed the country's transformation with references of Singapore and the UK to the then and incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
In response, the latter had said "You speak too much."
After five years, Dhakal is contesting for the Lower House seat from Constituency No 1 of Dadeldhura against PM Deuba in the upcoming House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections.
Independent candidate Sagar Dhakal is 31 years old. He is a hydro-mechanical engineer graduate from Pulchowk Engineering Campus, Lalitpur. He also has a policy and management degree from Oxford University. Dhakal said he got involved in politics after thinking about how Nepal could be developed in the next 50 years. Similarly, Dr Toshima Karki was also present in Sajha Sawal with Sagar Dhakal. She had questioned about Dr Govinda KC's demands. PM Deuba had replied that he would hold dialogue on the issues raised by Dr KC.
Dr Toshima, also a medical doctor, is a House of Representatives candidate for the upcoming November 20 election from Rastriya Swatantra Party. Earlier, the EC had scrapped her candidacy citing that she was an elected board member of Nepal Medical Council, which is a 'position of benefit'.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 13, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
