Chitwan, May 14

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today cast his vote in Laxmi High School, Lankhu ‘Kha’ Centre polling booth in Ward No 4 Bharatpur Metropolitan City at 7:08am in Chitwan.

Responding to mediapersons after casting his vote, PM Dahal said voters were excited about exercising their right and they would choose their candidates from the empowered local level elections, which was being held for the first time in Nepal.  The PM further urged the people to take part in the civic polls as it was of historical significance. “I believe that the people will take part in the election as much as expected,” he said.

Prime Minister Dahal, along with his family members, had reached Chitwan on Saturday to vote for the local level elections. The PM’s daughters — Renu Dahal, the mayoral candidate of Bharatpur Metropolis and Ganga Dahal — also cast their votes from the same polling station. The prime minister’s wife Sita Kumari Dahal, however, cast her vote from Shivanagar-based Lower Secondary, Shantipur.

Devi Gyawali from CPN-UML and Badri Timalsina from Rastriya Prajaterntra Party, among 14 others along with Renu Dahal, are fighting for the mayoral post in Bharatpur Metropolis. Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhatta said local level elections were peaceful without any disturbance in Bharatpur Metropolis, the five municipalities and Icchakamana Rural Municipality in Chitwan.