2,188 filed nominations for 234 seats: EC

Kathmandu, February 25:

Election Commission stated that 2,188 candidacies filed nominations in 234 electoral constituencies for the first-past-the-post system for the CA elections today.

Scores of candidates, including activists of political parties, independent candidates and representatives of the third-gender, filed their candidacies for the upcoming polls.

Fifteen candidates today filed candidacies in Dolakha district, which has three election constituencies. However, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has decided to boycott the polls. Chairman of the Dolakha chapter of the RPP Nara Bahadur Pakhrin said in a press release today that his party will stay away from the CA polls because they are going to be held without addressing the Madhes agitation.

Fifteen candidates from the NC, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal, Rastriya Janamorcha, RPP Nepal and independent candidates filed candidacies in Doti district, which has two constituencies.

Sixty-two candidates, including 19 independent candidates, are in poll fray in Rautahat. CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal sent a representative to file his name at the constituency number 6.

In Makawanpur, which has four constituencies, 41 contenders, including candidates of 12 political parties and independent ones, filed candidacies under the FPTP system. Those filing candidacies are from the CPN (UML), NC, CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal, Nepal Sadbhavana Party, RPP, CPN (Integrated), CPN (ML), Rastriya Janamorcha, Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party, Tamsaling Nepal Party and Mangol National Organisation. Five people are contesting the polls as independent candidates.

Twenty-five candidates from the NC, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal, Chure Bhawar National Unity Party, CPN (United Marxist), CPN (Integrated), Rastriya Janamorcha and independent candidates filed candidacies in Udayapur district, which has three constituencies. CPN (UML)’s former district party secretary Min Bahadur Thakuri filed his candidature against the official contender of the party.

Nine political parties — NC, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal, Rastriya Janamorcha, RPP, CPN (Integrated), CPN (United) and CPN (United Marxists) — are in the poll fray in Syangja. A few independent candidates also joined the poll fray. NC leader Gopal Man Shrestha filed his nomination at constituency no. 2. CPN (UML) dissenter cadre Dhruv Raj Adhikari and independent candidate Punya Bhushal are contesting the polls as independent candidates.

NC, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), CPN (Integrated), CPN (United Marxist), Janamorcha Nepal, RPP and Mangol National Organisation have filed nominations under the FPTP system at the election

office in Ilam which has three election constituencies. NC general secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung, Speaker Subas Nembang and CPN (UML) standing committee member Jhal Nath Khanal are contesting the polls from constituency no. 1, 2 and 3.

In Kavre district, 41 candidates filed their nominations for four seats under the FPTP system. Besides, seven independent candidates have also registered their candidacies. CPN (UML), NC, CPN (Maoist), CPN (Integrated), Tamsaling Nepal, Janamorcha Nepal, NWPP, RPP, CPN (ML), Shanti Party Nepal and Nepal Samata Party are in the poll fray here.

Thirty-two candidates, including three MPs and two independent candidates, filed their candidacies in Sarlahi district. NC, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist), Janamorcha Nepal, Chure Bhawar National Unity Party, CPN (United), RPP and two independent candidates are vying for the six seats in the district.

In Nuwakot district, 31 candidates are vying for three seats. NC joint general secretary Arjun Narsingh KC and Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat filed their candidates at constituency no. 1 and 2, while CPN (UML) whip Mahendra Bahadur Pandey filed his candidature at constituency no. 3. Maoist leader Posta Bahadur Bogati is contesting from constituency no. 3.

Sixteen contestants are in the fray at Baglung district, which has three constituencies. In Parbat district, 18 contestants are contesting for the two seats. Maoist supporter Ganga Subedi has filed his candidacy in both constituencies. Nine candidates, including an independent candidate, have filed candidacies in Myagdi, which has one constituency.

Twenty-six contestants, including members of eight parties and seven independent candidates, filed their nominations in Tanahun. NC vice-chairman Ram Chandra Poudel is contesting the polls from constituency no. 2 while NC central member Govinda Raj Joshi is contesting from constituency no. 1. Maoist leader Suresh Ale Magar has also filed his candidacy at constituency no. 1.

Fifty-three candidates, defying a protest staged by UDMF cadres, filed their nominations at the poll office in Inaruwa in Sunsari. These include 34 candidates of political parties and 19 independent candidates. Three third-gender persons are also contesting the polls in Sunsari.

In Jhapa, which has seven constituencies, 62 members filed candidacies for the FPTP system of polls. Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula is contesting from constituency no. 3, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Bikram Nembang from constituency no. 1, while Chakra Prasad Bastola of the Nepali Congress and KP Sharma Oli of the CPN-UML are contesting from constituency no. 4 and constituency no. 7.

The NC, CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist, Janamorcha Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), CPN-Unified, Mangol National Organisation and the Samajbadi Prajatantrik Party have also filed candidacies in Ramechhap district, which has two constituencies. One independent candidate is also contesting the polls here.