Tanahun, March 22:

Political leaders, activists and their candidates are intensifying activities for the constitution assembly election, as the polling day nears. From dawn to dusk, they are busy in door-to-door campaigns, meetings and assemblies.

Whether it is a hotel room or open ground, a chowk or a roadside eatery, people are found discussing polls.

NC, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist are ahead in poll campaigns and a triangular competition among the three is expected in all three constituencies of the district. Possibilities of an electoral alliance between the Maoists and CPN-UML in all three constituencies seem high as the polls near. According to party sources, CPN-Maoist is likely to support UML candidates in the Constituency No 2 and 3 if the UML agrees to support the Maoists in Constituency No 1.

Former two-time minister Govinda Raj Joshi from the NC, party central advisor Ek Bahadur Rana from the UML and influential leader Suresh Ale Magar from the Maoists are contesting from Constituency No 1.

In Constituency No 2, NC vice-president and Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Paudel faces competition from CPN-UML’s Pratap Lal Shrestha and Maoist’s Dambar Bahadur BK. Tara Raj Rana of the NC, Kiran Gurung of the UML and Asha Koirala (Khanal) of the Maoists are contesting for CA seat in Constituency No 3.

Poudel’s path has been smoothened a little bit after party’s rebel candidate Basanta Bahadur Ale pulled out of the race.

Govinda Raj Joshi is likely to be hit by rebel candidate Parashuram Adhikary in Constituency No 1. Joshi’s chance of winning the seat will become really too thin if the UML-Maoist alliance is realised.

In Constituency No 3, the competition is likely to remain triangular till the last moment between the NC, UML and the Maoists.

There are 33 candidates contesting for the polls in Tanahu. There are 87,286 voters in Constituency No 1; 93,380 in Constituency No 2 and 86,952 voters in Constituency No 3.