For the House of Representatives elections, the UML has recommended the names of nine people from Jhapa 2, including Speaker Devraj Ghimire and Minister for Law and Justice Agni Kharel.
What you should know
Of the five constituencies in Jhapa for the House of Representatives elections, Jhapa 2 is the one that everyone is interested in after Jhapa 5.
Jhapa 5 is being watched with special interest as UML Chairman and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli himself is contesting the elections, while Jhapa 2, the home constituency of House of Representatives Speaker Devraj Ghimire, has also attracted much attention.
Similarly, among the aspirants contesting from Jhapa 2, along with Speaker Ghimire, is another influential UML leader Agni Kharel. Kharel, who served as the Prime Minister's expert advisor after serving as the Minister of Law, Attorney General, and Prime Minister when Oli was Prime Minister, is considered an influential leader in UML.
For the upcoming House of Representatives elections to be held on Falgun 21, the UML has recommended the names of 9 people, including Speaker Ghimire and former Law Minister Kharel, from Jhapa 2. Jhapa 2 is the home constituency of both these leaders.
During the 2079 elections, there was the same interest here as now - Ghimire or Kharel in Jhapa 2? At that time, both of them had worked hard for the ticket. Ultimately, Ghimire got the ticket from Jhapa 2, while Kharel had to give up his seat and contest the election from Jhapa 1.
Kharel, who gave up his seat and became a candidate from Jhapa 1, was defeated by Congress General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma, while Ghimire, who entered parliament after winning the election from Jhapa 2, became the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
With the recommendation of the candidates, a UML leader said that this time too, like in the previous elections, there is a competition for tickets between the two.
UML recommended the names of 9 people, including Ghimire and Kharel, from Jhapa 2 on Sunday. Along with Ghimire and Kharel, the names of Amritlal Rajbanshi, Umanath Oli, Gyanendra Prasad Oli, Ekraj Karki, Prem Giri, Pavitra Pathak and Parbatraj Bhandari are among the recommended names.
Ghimire, who lost to independent candidate Swagat Nepal by more than 2,000 votes in the 2079 House of Representatives elections, wants to repeat his candidacy from Jhapa 2 this time too.
Kharel, who lost to Congress General Secretary Sharma from Jhapa 1 by more than 14,000 votes in the same election, wants to get the Jhapa 2 ticket under his control this time at any cost. Kharel said that he will not participate in the election from any other constituency except Jhapa 2.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ghimire has already been preparing to re-run the candidacy from Jhapa 2. 'He will stand from Jhapa 2,' says a local leader close to Ghimire.
In fact, there are others besides Ghimire and Kharel on the list of candidates from Jhapa 2. The name of Koshi Province's Minister for Drinking Water, Irrigation and Energy Ekraj Karki has also been recommended from Jhapa 2, while UML District President Prem Giri has also been recommended as a candidate. Similarly, the names of Amritlal Rajbanshi, Umanath Oli, Gyanendra Prasad Oli, Pavitra Pathak and Parbatraj Bhandari have also been recommended.
