Four-way contest in Pyuthan

Dang, June 13

While trilateral fights between the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist (Centre) are expected in many districts in the second phase of civic polls slated for June 28, the electoral battle in Pyuthan is set among four parties due to strong presence of Rastriya Janamorcha in the district.

In the home district of leftist heavyweights such as Mohan Bikram Singh, Mohan Baidhya, Bamdev Gautam, and Lilamani Pokhrel, the CPN-UML and Janamorcha had agreed to forge an electoral alliance. However, both the parties strongly protested against the alliance, the agreement was broken.

Rastriya Janamorcha had finalised its candidates in the first phase of the polls. According to Janamorcha Pyuthan Chairman Krishna Bahadur Khadka, Bidur Malla, Tilak GC, Dhan Prasad Gharti, Amardhowj Rana, Jitamitra Sunar, Krishna Prasad Shrestha and Jhabindramani Paudel are the party candidates for the chair of Gaumukhi, Jhimruk, Naubihani, Mallarani, Mandawi, Airawati, and Sarumarani rural municipalities.

Dhruba Thapa and Bir Bahadur Pun are the mayoral candidates of Janamorcha in Pyuthan and Sworgadwari municipalities.

The CPN-UML has also picked its candidates. UML has picked UML Pyuthan Chairman Tulasiram Sharma and Netra Bahadur Rokaya as mayoral candidates for Pyuthan and Sworgadwari municipalities. Similarly, UML has picked Imansingh Bharati, Man Bahadur GC, Dilaram Thapa, Ratiman Rana, Tika B Gurung, Shreedhar Rokam and Jhag Bahadur Biswokarma as chairs of Mallarani, Jhimruk, Naubahini, Gaumukhi, Airawati, Mandawi, and Sarumarani rural municipalities respectively.

The Nepali Congress has given ticket to Devendra Barma and Tek Prasad Bhandari to contest for mayor of Pyuthan and Sworgadwari municipalities. The party has also finalised names of party candidates for the chairs of the rural municipalities.

Arjun Kumar Kakshyapati and Janak Pun are mayoral candidates from the CPN-MC for Pyuthan and Sworgadwari municipalities. The MC has also finalised candidates for the chairs of rural municipalities.

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