Tanahun, November 22

Senior Nepali Congress leader Ramchandra Paudel asked Tanahun -1 voters to give him a sixth chance promising that now onwards he would give extra attention to development of the district.

Paudel is trying to convince voters that he can do much more for Tanahun’s prosperity, as the political settlement has been completed in the country

In a public appeal, he stated that during his previous five terms as lawmaker from Tanahun he had spent much time in the peace process and constitution promulgation. “Of course, my presence in the district was relatively less compared to your aspirations, but I did many things for infrastructure development in Tanahun,” the appeal stated.

He also promised to stay in contact with district people, create employment opportunities in the district and take initiative to give Tanahun people 10 per cent share of the 144 MW Tanahun Hydropower Project and the 104 MW Lower Seti Hydropower project. He also promised to take initiative to improve rural roads and launch the Byash Devghat Marg, a fast-track road linking Tanahun with the Tarai.

NC cadres also projected Paudel as the future prime minister. “It will take another 50 years for other leaders in Tanahun to reach Paudel’s height,” said NC district Spokesperson Ashok Kumar Shrestha.

Paudel’s rival, left alliance candidate Krishna Kumar Shrestha Kishan is appealing to voters to go for a new face. Kishan is also trying to convince people that as a local youth leader, he can do much better as there is possibility of a left government in the centre because of the left alliance. “This time, people will go for change,” said Shrestha.

Cadres of the left alliance also hope that the dissatisfaction of another influential Tanahun leader Govinda Raj Joshi will benefit them. However, many Congress cadres who supported Joshi’s candidacy have now joined Paudel’s campaign.

There are two constituencies in Tanahun, reduced from three constituencies earlier. Among the three, NC had won two and CPN-UML one. In Constituency No 2 NC leader and former minister Shanker Bhandari is pitted against UML district chair Kedar Sigdel.

The provincial assembly contest is also drawing public attention as nationally recognised leaders from NC and the left alliance are in the fray. In the provincial constituency ‘Ka’, NC’s central working committee member and former

student leader Pradeep Paudel and the left alliance’s minister without portfolio Asha Koirala are the main contenders.