Kathmandu, March 7:

Though 35 new constituencies have been carved out of the previous 205 constituencies, 14 districts of the country each have only one constituency.

One of them is Manang. The district, which is located in the remote mid-western hill with rough terrain and scattered population, also has the lowest number of voters — altogether 7,407.

But all major parties are eyeing the constituency. Nepali Congress is pitting Palten Gurung, who was elected thrice from the same constituency between 1991 and 1999.

CPN Maoist has fielded its central leader and Local Development Minister Dev Prasad Gurung, also a resident of the same district. CPN UML has fielded Mangal Bahadur Gurung, also a influential local leader.

Each party is more or less sure of the victory because, they say they have a strong influence there.

Mustang, also a district in the remote western hills, has only one constituency and the second lowest number of voters —11,889.

The other districts with only one constituency each are Terhathum and Solukhumbu in the remote eastern hilly region, Rasuwa in the central hilly region, Myagdi, Dolpa, Jumla, Kalikot, Mugu, Humla in mid-western hilly region, and Bajura, Dadeldhura and Darchula in far-west.

Apart from Kathmandu, all the districts with five or more constituencies fall along the Tarai belt.

However, it may be noted that the number of constituencies do not necessarily correspond with the number of total voters in the district concerned.

The reason cited by the Electoral Constituency Delineation Commission had stated that it has redrawn the constituencies on the basis of population and geographical considerations.

As in 1999, Morang, which is to send nine members to the Assembly, has the highest number of voters — all together 6,48,894, followed by Jhapa with 6,28,666 voters. Jhapa has 7 cosntituencies this time around. Kathmandu stands in the third position with 5,96,495 voters but elects 10 members. None of the top leaders are on the fray from any of the constituencies in the two districts in eastern Nepal.

UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal is contesting from Rautahat 6 and Kathamndu 2 and Maoist Chairman Prachanda is fighting from Kathmandu 10 and Rolpa 2. Dhanusha with the total number of 4,63,225 voters and Rupandehi with 5,22,898 voters have seven constituencies each, too.

None of the top SPA leaders are competing from any of the constituencies in these districts, too.

Sunsari with 4,77,973 voters, Saptari with 496712 voters, Siraha with 434353 voters, Sarlahi with 471489 voters, Mahottari with 394473 voters, Rautahat with 373650 voters, Bara with 396003 voters, Nawalparasi with 428018 voters, and Kailali with 475436 voters have six constituencies, each.

The districts with five constituencies each are Parsa with 3,63,013 voters, Chitwan with 3,82,580 voters, Kapilvastu with 3,48,954 voters and Dang with 3,58,860 voters. Amik Sherchan is contesting from Chitwan 5. He is the Chairman of the People’s Front Nepal.

Those with four constituencies each are Kavre with 3,21,705 voters, Makwanpur with 2,88,868 voters, Kaski with 3,15,635 voters, Banke with 2,53,622 voters, Bardiya with 2,74,180 and Kanchanpur with 2,84,319 voters.

Altogether 14 districts have three constituencies each. Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Dolakha, Bajhang, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Ramechhap, Bhaktapur, Lamjung, Parbat, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Achham, Doti and Baitadi have two constituencies each.

NWPP chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe is contesting from Bhaktapur 1.