BIRGUNJ, NOVEMBER 11
As the date for elections draws closer, political scenario in Parsa Constituency-1 is getting more and more interesting. As the constituency, as per the decision of the five-party alliance, has fallen in the fold of Lokatantrik Samajbadi Party, the resulting scenario has become worth watching.
The election battle here is expected to be very competitive after a veteran NC leader, following his party decision to leave the constituency to its alliance partner LSP, fielded himself as a rebel candidate. Nepali Congress leader Ajaya Dwibedi, who has a long political history of four decades, is contesting against coalition candidate Laxmanlal Karna. What is interesting is, while Dwibedi has defied the party and decided to fight as a rebel candidate, his wife Sushma Tiwari, however, has figured in the final list of the party's proportional representation candidates for the Parliament.
In the final name list published by the Election Commission, Tiwari's name is at number 101 on Page 37, while there are also two others from the same district who have made it to the list.
Also on the list are former Constituent Assembly member Anil Kumar Rungata and Shambhu Prasad Chauhan.
Congress has suspended Dwibedi from even party's ordinary membership for five long years, citing his rebel candidacy 'against party's policy and statute'. Dwibedi has been the district president of Parsa for a decade continuously.
Meanwhile, Dwibedi's rebel candidacy has thrown party leaders and cadres into a dilemma.
While they are expected to support alliance candidate Karna as per the party diktat, confusion among the party rank and file is so telltale, and there are reports of many party leaders and cadres supporting rebel candidate Dwibedi.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 12, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
