Biratnagar, January 26:

Leading a group of people, Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala today visited the District Election Office to file nomination papers of an independent mayoral candidate and former activist of the Nepali Congress, Binod Aryal.

Adult franchise is the essence of democracy, she said, calling on people to vote. While a sea of people waited along the route to have a glance of her, there was no dearth of people shouting slogans against her. Youths hung around for an hour at the election office to have a glance of her.

Manisha came here yesterday from Mumbai to campaign and muster support for Aryal.

“I would not be scared just because some people are protesting against me. I feel good when there is a challenge,” Manisha told this daily. Opposition is natural in democracy, she said, adding that she will return to Mumbai only after the conduct of polls. Postponing all my schedules, I came here all the way from Mumbai to get Aryal elected, Manisha said. Shedding light on the role played by her family in strengthening democracy, she said: “We should not forget the policy of national reconciliation adopted by my grandfather BP Koirala.”

I feel my younger grandfather Girija Prasad Koirala has deviated from the path shown by BP, she said, accusing Girija of joining the Maoists after fighting with the King.

Stating that she had not come here to join politics, she said she would not take to politics in such a tricky way.