Oh, what a commotion in this election? How many people are awake? I sit in the sun, this one comes, that one comes, handing out leaflets saying, 'Please vote'. There wasn't such a commotion before. I say 'No' to everyone who comes to ask for votes, who will I give it to? That's up to you!
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चुनाव एक नेताको जित–हारको विवरण मात्रै होइन
– Baburam Joshi (92 years old) Chitwan
I was born on 8th Asoj 1990. At that time my father was a worker. I was born in a place called Katarban. However, our ancestral place was Bandipur in Tanahun. A year and a half after my birth, my father brought us to Bandipur and left us. Elections were held in 2015. I voted for the first time in that election. It was a very old thing, I don't remember much now. But at that time, a man named Shribhadra Sharma had stood up from the Congress. Yes, I voted for him. Shribhadra was like a friend we knew, so I voted for him, even if he won.
In Bandipur, there were friends who lived next door to us – Cheezkumar and Ramkumar. Shribhadra was their good friend. Cheezkumar was my friend. That's why Shribhadra also became my friend. That's why it was suggested that 'I should vote for my friend'. I voted for him as a friend. I didn't even know if others had come to ask for votes. I didn't care who had stood up.
I came to Chitwan in 2009. When I had work, I used to go home to Bandipur. At that time, I had to walk. I used to walk very hard. I would leave early in the morning and by the time I reached Bandipur, it would be dusk. The people of the village would remind me, 'Don't walk with such a heavy pace, you will die.'
At that time, there was talk that if the Congress won the elections, they would form a government and there would be development. But, not because of such things, but because of our friend, we won Shribhadra. I stayed outside Bandipur for a long time due to work. I didn't care how my name was written on the voter list for the election. My father must have written it. I was happy that my friend stood up, voted for him and won the election. I know that my vote can make or break someone. I don't stay at home on election days thinking that it's just one vote. I have been voting in every election so far.
Now they say, 'Hey old man, you don't have to stand in line, just go'. That's why I feel like voting. At this age, you can't stand in line to vote, if you had to stand in line, you probably wouldn't have gone. You can vote as soon as you go to the polling station. Went, voted, came home and sat down. I don't sit in the square, go into the tea shop and talk about the election that much. This is my habit from the beginning. The era I started voting and the present era are different. The rules and laws are different. It is not possible to talk about the sorrows of the past. Even now it is not very good, but something has changed.
Leaders talk a lot in elections. They say, 'I will do this, I will do that'. But after winning the election, the leader is in his own rhythm. The leader is the one who will fix it with his mouth. They don't follow our rhythm. I am a person who has been from Narayangadh to Lamjung since 2009 in the course of work. I don't have to do anything. I didn't vote for the leader because the leader showed me greed. I voted in the first election, then it became a habit. Now my house is near Narayangadh Leela Chowk.
Oh, what a fuss in this election? How many people have woken up? I sit in the sun, this one comes, that one comes, they hand out leaflets saying, "Please vote." Earlier, there was not much fuss. It seems like the custom of going door to door to ask for votes started a long time ago. I may not have seen them since I travel a lot for work. I say "Yes" to everyone who comes to ask for votes. It's up to you who you want to give it to!
After receiving the ballot paper to vote, I look for the mark I decided to put on it. Since I had already decided, I don't get confused after receiving the ballot paper. I put it on right away. I think I will win/not win because I put it on. I feel happy to hear that I won. It feels good to not win. It is said that the symbol for voting is always the same. The symbol is the same. But, the people who stand up may be different. I am more attracted to the symbol than the person. The party is attracted. Maybe because I am not very interested in politics, I have been voting according to what my heart tells me. I always see myself walking since morning on voting day. I also hear people saying, "Let's go, father." It feels good. I reach the polling station with this fun and excitement.
There is a huge difference between the past and the present. It is difficult to remember what used to happen in the previous elections now. At one time, there was a fight, a riot. It did not seem to happen, but I heard that it did happen. Nowadays, riots are not heard of that much. This is good. I have heard that people make people vote by showing various hopes and greed, and they do. I have not done that. I have been doing what my heart thinks. I do not vote out of fear and greed and in the hope of money or jobs, but I choose a party based on that so that the country will be better.
