DHARAN, SEPTEMBER 15
As the trend of independent candidates declaring their candidacies for the upcoming elections catches on, a squatters' leader has also joined the trend by announcing his candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary election in Sunsari.
Nepal Basobas Basti Sanraksan Samaj (Nepal Residence Settlement Preservation Society) central chairperson Kumar Karki declared his candidacy from Sunsari Constituency-1 for the upcoming parliamentary election amidst a programme in Dharan today. According to the Samaj, the announcement was made unanimously from a gathering of squatters, Dalit landless families, and the impoverished.
Speaking today, Karki expressed confidence that 35,000 voters of 15,000 squatters' households would vote for him in the upcoming parliamentary election on November 20. "I represent the agenda of the squatters, the impoverished and the Dalits, so I'm hopeful that people will vote for me by rising above their parties and partisan interests," Karki said.
The leader further accused leaders elected with the votes of squatters of doing little for the community. "Many leaders have won elections from here by getting the votes of the squatters, but they have done little for the community and for Dharan," Karki said, also making public his five-point pledge. One of his agenda is land ownership certificates to all squatters.
According to the society's secretary Subas Rai, candidacy will also be announced for the provincial election.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 16, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
