As recommended by the party's regional committee, the old leaders of all three major parties have been recommended, sometimes as singles, sometimes as first place.
What you should know
Most of the candidates recommended by the Congress, UML, and Nepali Communist Party from 26 constituencies in Lumbini Province are old faces. At a time when there is a growing demand for giving opportunities to youth in elections, the main regional and provincial parties have repeatedly recommended people who have previously been candidates.
As per the recommendations of the party's regional committee, the leaders of all three major parties have been recommended as either single or first candidates. Nepali Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal's name has been recommended as first candidate from Rolpa. Although three names, including Barshaman Pun, have been recommended along with him, Dahal himself has already announced that he will contest the election from Rukum East. The local party committee had recommended nine names, including Ganeshman Pun, from Rukum East.
UML Vice President Bishnu Paud has been recommended from Rupandehi-2 and 3 as well as Palpa-2. According to the UML, Poudel is preparing to contest the election from Rupandehi-2.
Poudel has been contesting elections from Rupandehi-2 since 2056 BS. He has been winning continuously since 2064 BS. UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel is preparing to contest from Dang-2. The local party committee has recommended his single name. Pokharel was defeated by the then Maoist Rekha Sharma from the same constituency in 2079 by a small margin.
UML central member Pradeep Gyawali has been recommended as a single name from Gulmi-1. He has also been continuously contesting elections from here since 2056. He was defeated by Congress' Chandra Bhandari in 2079. Even now, Chandra Bhandari's name has been recommended as the first name from Congress.
UML Vice President and former Minister Gokarna Bista's name has also been recommended as a single name from Gulmi-2. He is also a leader who has been continuously contesting elections from Gulmi-2 since 2056. He has won in all elections except 2064. UML leader Surya Thapa has been recommended as a single name from Pyuthan, which has only one constituency. The name of former Planning Commission Vice Chairman Dr. Govinda Raj Pokharel has been recommended from Congress.
UML has recommended four people from Arghakhanchi, including the current member of the House of Representatives, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. Rayamajhi, who was elected from UML in 2079 BS, is in custody awaiting trial in the Bhutanese refugee case. Rayamajhi has announced that he will contest the election from inside prison.
Three people, including UML Central Secretary Chhabilal Bishwakarma, have been recommended from Rupandehi-1. UML Lumbini Province President Radhakrishna Kandel said that many central leaders of UML have been recommended from Lumbini Province. ‘Rather than new and old, UML has recommended popular leaders who are well-known among the people,’ he said, ‘Some new friends have also been recommended.’
Congress has fielded Devendra Raj Kandel from Nawalparasi West-1, which has two constituencies, and Binod Chaudhary from 2. The names of central member Deepak Giri from Dang-3, Bal Krishna Khand from Rupandehi-3, and Bharat Shah from Rupandehi-5 have been recommended. Although all three are top leaders of the Congress, they were not recommended individually. The names of 4 people, including General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, have been recommended from Rolpa in the Congress. Thapa has also been recommended from Kapilvastu-1.
Congress Lumbini Province President Amar Singh Pun said that the name of Congress General Secretary Thapa has been recommended from two districts. 'It is the demand of local friends,' he said, 'The General Secretary himself chooses which area, that is his matter.' Congress Joint General Secretary Kishore Singh Rathore has been recommended from Banke-3 and Bardiya-2. Sanjay Gautam has been recommended from Bardiya-1. The Nepali Communist Party has recommended the names of NCP coordinator Dahal to Bamdev Gautam.
Sudarshan Baral, who is the Lumbini Province Coordinator of the NCP, has also been recommended from Gulmi-1 and Rupandehi-2. Nagarik Unmukti, RPP, Janmat and JSP also have good influence in the province. However, small parties have not yet recommended candidates. Small parties claim that discussions are underway to recommend candidates.
RPP also has influence in Rupandehi, Nawalparasi West and Banke in Lumbini. In 2079, RPP won 3 seats from Lumbini Province. However, RPP Lumbini Province President Pradeep Uday said that no candidate has been recommended yet. Similarly, RPP has sought applications from all districts of Lumbini for candidates for the House of Representatives, but it has not yet been decided who has applied as an aspirant, said Province President Devraj Pathak.
