Jajarkot, May 10

Kamala Nepali, 65, of Garkhakot Maipa at Junichande Rural Municipality, Jajarkot, has not seen a vehicle till date. Neither does she have any idea about television and mobile phone.

Vehicle and mobile phone are like fairy tales for Nepali. She is only familiar with goods such as salt and food items ferried by her brothers, husband and father from Nepalgunj and Chhinchu.

“We used to have a very hard time managing salt, but, now the situation has changed. However, it takes a whole day to get to a place from where one can catch a vehicle,” Nepali said.

Road network has connected very few villages apart from district headquarters Khalanga. It takes a whole day’s walk to catch a bus from Kamala.

Kamala believes that development failed to pick up pace as the leaders elected in the past were not visionary and good. “When party candidates came to canvass, I asked when road, telephone and electricity would come to the village, they responded saying we would get them soon. But, development remained just a mirage,” Kamala said.

Kamala said  that this time around, she would vote for a candidate who is honest enough to bring bus, telephone and electricity to the village. “I want to vote for someone who is sincere and capable of ushering in change and development.”

Dalbir Pariyar, 71, of the same rural municipality echoed Kamala and saying he would vote someone who would bring development to the village.  “Neighbouring Rukum district has road in every nook and corner. Our district has fallen behind in development — we have no electricity or road,” Pariyar lamented.

Bordering Kalikot and Jumla districts, Junichande Rural Municipality lies in far-flung area.

The rural municipality suffers from food shortage almost round the year. The food depot established to supply subsidised food is lying empty as it runs out of stock most of the time.

Battling myriad problems, the rural municipality has many possibilities as well. It has abundant herbs, precious stones, and wild life.

With the civic poll drawing close, candidates running for different posts in the rural municipality  have pledged many things. Nepali Congress candidate for the post of rural municipality Chair Sharparaj Rawat said the rural municipality could be developed by managing challenges and opportunities. He said he would link all wards of the rural municipality with a road network.

CPN-UML candidate Bed Bahadur Shahi who is running for chairperson said if elected, he would accord top priority to electricity, road, communication, education and health. “Road is the backbone of  development. I will give top priority to it,” Shahi said.

Krishna Bahadur KC, CPN-Maoist Centre candidate for chairperson at the rural municipality pledged to construct road and develop communication and health in the village.

It is said the electoral race among the three major parties is very competitive.