Biratnagar, November 18

An interesting electoral battle awaits Morang Constituency 6, where Nepali Congress leader Dr Shekhar Koirala and CPN-UML leader and former minister Lalbabu Pandit are taking on each other for a seat in the parliament.

As the election date draws closer, the two well-known figures have intensified their election campaigns, each presenting himself as the potential winner. While Koirala is eager to scoop a hat trick with yet another win, Pandit, who the candidate of the left alliance is campaigning to give a tough fight to the scion of the Koirala family.

The two contenders seem to be neck and neck in the poll race. The Koirala family has strong influence in Biratnagar and the recent merger of Bikaya Kumar Gachhadar’s party with NC looks to have bolstered chances for the NC candidate all the more.

Koirala was elected in the second Constituent Assembly election from then Morang Constituency 7.

Pandit, who is known for his straightforward nature and simplicity, rose to fame after he took a hardline on government employees possessing foreign citizenship or temporary residence permits.

Of late, the two leaders have resorted to slandering each other. While Pandit has accused his rival of standing in the way of making Biratnagar as the provincial capital, the latter has blamed the former’s party for failure for amendment to the statute.

Both of them, however, have adopted a number of common poll agenda, including making metropolitan city the provincial headquarters, upgrading the road link between Kimanthanka and Biratnagar and addressing squatters’ problems, among others.