Kanchanpur, March 24:

Residents of Dodhara and Chandani VDCs are angry against political leaders, who visit them only when the elections are round the bend.

There are 67,646 voters in constituency no. 4 of Kanchanpur district, including over 25,000 voters in Dodhara and Chandani VDCs. Candidates are trying hard to wow voters here.

“The Mahakali river might sweep us away during the rainy season. Fearing floods in Mahakali, we cannot sleep at night during the rainy season, but no one is concerned about our problem,” Dhanidatta Bhatta, 57, who was grazing a bull at a jungle in Bayalband of Chandani-7, said.

“Jungles surround our area. We have been living under constant fear of criminals,” Bhatta said, adding that villagers do not have access to electricity though electric poles were erected two decades ago. However, he hopes that development works will gain pace in the area after the polls.

According to Kiran Singh Karki, a trader of Dodhara, Dodhara and Chandani VDCs were linked with the rest of the country after a suspension bridge was laid over the Mahakali river four years ago.

“A temporary bridge should be laid over the Mahakali river to increase business activities here,” he said.

Locals have been using Indian currencies for 50 years. They rely on Indian towns like Tanakpur, Banbasa, Khatima and Bareli to augment supplies.

Dhan Bahadur, who was busy mending a radio in Dodhara Babathan, said he has not taken part in any election campaign because no one bothers to look after the poor. “This election may be a festival for the political leaders, but it offers nothing for us,” Dhan Bahadur said.

Naravan Saud of Chandani-2 said political leaders, who identify themselves as the true representatives of the Nepalis, should learn to understand miseries and pains of the people. “The political leaders should realise that their empty promises cannot satiate hunger,” he said. Kamal Man Bhatta of Hurdiya of Dodhara-6 warned all concerned not to take them just as a vote bank.

Former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML’s Rajendra Rawal, Maoists’ Harish Thakkula and Jayanta,

the son of former PM Lokendra Bahadur Chand, are in fray here.