Rautahat, May 10

With the government’s decision to hold local elections in the second phase in select provinces, little election-related activities have been seen in Rautahat.

According to the government’s decision, elections in Province 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held in the second phase, on June 14.

So far, Chandrapur is the only municipality where election-related activities are happening.

In two other municipalities, namely Gaur and Garuda, there is little election campaigning, which the locals largely attribute to the Madhes-based parties’ warning that they will prevent elections until their demands are met.

However, there is enough of lobbying going on among various parties to secure party tickets for contesting the election.

A CPN-UML leader, on condition of anonymity, said there are different factions in the party lobbying for ticket for someone from their coterie.

“No matter who gets the ticket ultimately, factionalism on the eve of the elections is sure to cost the party dearly,” he said.

Another UML leader Pramod Chaudhary, a young man, lamented the party’s policy of sidelining representatives from indigenous nationalities.

“We from the town committee recommended three names for the post of mayor, but when the district committee selected the candidate, there was not a single person from indigenous nationalities,” he bemoaned.

Meanwhile, just like elsewhere, political parties in the district too are facing a hard time selecting their candidates for different posts.

Though the parties were all set to select their candidates by the second week of May itself, so far not a single party has been able to finalise all their candidates.

As for UML, it has so far recommended the names of Uddhav Regmi, Baburam Dahal and Shiva Acharya for the post of mayor from Chandrapur Municipality.

Likewise, Shekh Kalimullah and Shambhu Sah have been recommended for the mayoral post from Garuda and Gaur municipalities respectively.

As for the ruling parties, there are lots of disputes within the parties about possible selection of candidates who don’t have good voters’ base.

Nepali Congress Mahasamiti member Dev Prasad Timalsina, however, denied there was confusion. “Though there are differing views as to whom to select to run from Chandrapur Municipality, elsewhere, there is confusion,” he said.

Regarding Gaur Municipality, no other party except the UML has declared candidate for the mayoral post.

UML, about a month ago, had declared Shambhu Sah Kanu as the mayoral candidate from its side. Former Mayor Gauri Shakar Jayasawal is said to be preparing to fight as an independent candidate.