RUPANDEHI, NOVEMBER 17
Home Minister and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand and former finance minister and CPN-UML leader Bishnu Prasad Poudel have pledged to shift the provincial capital to Butwal.
Both Khand and Poudel are contesting the election to the House of Representatives from Rupandehi district. It seems that making Butwal the capital of Lumbini Province is the main election agenda in the district.
"We have understood the voices and opinions of all the citizens in the district. We do not want to say anything why and what happened yesterday. But we will bring back the provincial capital to Butwal from the Rapti valley of Dang," both leaders were cited as saying during their election campaign.
The Lumbini Province Assembly had decided to establish the provincial capital at Deukhuri of Dang.
However, residents of Butwal have been protesting this move citing that it was an inappropriate move as Deukhuri lacked the infrastructure required for the provincial capital.
The topic of the provincial capital has become the election agenda for citizens in Rupandehi in this election.
Residents of the district have expressed displeasure with the Province Assembly's decision to make Deukhuri the provincial capital.
"The province capital was shifted to another place from Lumbini, which is the birth place of Lord Gautam Buddha and a centre of faith of at least one-third population of the world. More economic and industrial activities take place here compared to other places of the province. An international airport is also operated here. So, which place other than Butwal is fit for the provincial capital," they argue.
Both Khand and Poudel completely agreed with these arguments of voters.
According to them, Butwal has all the facilities and infrastructure required to be the provincial capital and it is also an ideal location.
"No place other than Butwal will be the capital of Lumbini Province. We are making efforts to shift the capital to Butwal," Home Minister Khand said.
Khand is a candidate for HoR member from Constituency No 3 of Rupandehi district.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 18, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
