The UML has adopted a policy of prohibiting leaders with different views from distributing tickets to candidates for the upcoming House of Representatives elections. Leaders who contested against the establishment faction by forming a separate panel at the party's 11th general convention held in Manger were denied tickets. Chairman KP Sharma Oli himself had taken the responsibility of 'holding' the tickets of those leaders and finalizing the process. Earlier, leaders with different views were not included in the proportional closed list submitted by the UML to the Election Commission.

The ticket of leader Ishwor Pokharel, who competed with Oli for the post of chairman, has been held. Although he was the sole recommendation for the candidate from Kathmandu-5, the central secretariat has postponed it.

Oli has been given the right to give or not give him a ticket. Among the office bearers who competed for the office bearers from the Pokharel panel at the general convention, Gokarna Bista, who won the post of vice-chairman, has become a candidate for Gulmi-2. Binod Dhakal, who competed for the post of secretary, was given a ticket for Morang-6 on Sunday. Other leaders who competed against the establishment have not been given a ticket.

Arun Nepal, who was defeated as a vice-chairman from the Pokharel faction, has not been given a ticket. Surendra Pandey, who was defeated after competing for the post of general secretary, has also been deprived of being a candidate. In the past, he was a candidate from Chitwan-1. Yogesh Bhattarai, who competed for the post of deputy general secretary from the Pokharel faction and won, has also been stripped of his ticket. 

Earlier, in his home district of Taplejung, where he won the election, Youth Association President Chhitij Thebe has been made a candidate. Bhattarai had expressed his dissenting opinion in the secretariat meeting held on Saturday, saying that the distribution of tickets was not fair. ‘Tickets have been distributed on the basis of the competition in the general convention,’ he said, ‘This has not done justice to those who have different opinions and views.’ 

Agni Kharel, Thakur Gaire, Krishnagopal Shrestha, Karna Thapa, Purushottam Poudel, Indralal Sapkota, who had filed their candidacies for the post of secretary from the establishment party in the general convention, have been denied tickets. In the last election, Kharel had contested from Jhapa-1 and Gaire from Palpa-2. Gaire had won the election. The decision to field Ramchandra Upreti as Jhapa-1 and Bishnu Poudel as Vice President of Palpa-2 was made on Saturday. But on Sunday, Poudel decided to contest the election from Rupandehi-2. Ram Bahadur Raut has been given a ticket from Gaire’s constituency.

Similarly, Gokul Baskota, who contested for the post of secretary from the Pokharel party, also did not get a ticket. He, who was elected from Kavre-2 in the last election, had tried to run again this time. Oli has fielded Ashok Byanju in his constituency. Oli's close friend Baskota was denied a ticket for voting differently. Krishnagopal Shrestha, who was seeking a ticket for Kathmandu-9, has also been denied a ticket for voting differently. 

Binda Pandey, who contested for the post of vice-chairperson in the 11th general convention, and Rachana Khadka, who contested for the post of secretary, also did not get a ticket. They did not even make it to the proportional list. Central member Khadka said that she tried to run for a candidate from Dolakha but was not successful. "The issue of which side was supported in the general convention seemed to have an impact on the distribution of tickets," she said.

Similarly, central member Bishnu Rijal, who was recommended by the most votes in the party's internal election in Dailekh, has also been denied a ticket. Another central member, Neeraj Acharya, who has been working on behalf of the party in the Election Commission since the establishment, has been stripped of his ticket. He, who contested from Jajarkot in the last election, was also an aspirant this time.

Deputy General Secretary Bhattarai alleged that tickets were distributed to the party without setting clear criteria. ‘I am of the opinion that clear criteria should be set for selecting UML candidates in the elections. Currently, it seems that the leadership’s will and partisanship are considered the basis rather than qualification, ability, intelligence, loyalty to the party and continuity while selecting candidates,’ he said in his dissenting opinion. ‘In some places, a person with the same characteristics has been made a candidate, while in other places, a person with the same characteristics has been deprived of selection. Due to which, the party decision does not seem to have received unanimous support nationwide.’

He said that a serious mistake was made because different opinions within the party were ignored. ‘The partisanship during the competition for the House of Representatives candidates (proportional and direct) is clearly visible. This weakens the internal unity of the party,’ he said. Bhattarai said that even if those with different views are deprived of tickets, efforts should be made to win the party’s candidates.

Leader Ishwor Pokharel said that good results can be achieved in the elections only if ticket distribution is balanced. ‘There have been complaints that ticket distribution is not balanced. Good results can be achieved if internal unity is strengthened,’ he said. He said that he would decide on his candidacy on Monday.

UML Secretary Bhanubhakta Dhakal claimed that the party had selected candidates according to the rules and procedures. ‘Direct candidates were selected taking into account the recommendations from the districts and provinces,’ he said, ‘It is not possible for all aspirants to get tickets. That is why some complaints may have been made.’  

What is the possibility of an alliance in the vacant seat?

UML has not nominated a candidate in Rukum East till Sunday night. Why did Oli not nominate a candidate in the area where NCP coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal was certain to be the candidate from Rukum East? Many have questioned. Dahal is seeking a safe area, and is running as a candidate from Rukum East, the base area of ​​the Maoists. 

 In this constituency, the Maoist party Purna Gharti won in an alliance with the Congress in the last election. The leaders and cadres of Rukum East UML are confused as the candidate has not been announced. Former Rukum East president and central member Leelamani Gautam said that they are waiting for the center's decision. 

Oli has also kept his candidate vacant in his home district Jhapa-3. This constituency belongs to RPP president Rajendra Lingden. In the 2079 election, Oli and Lingden had an alliance. Oli had supported Lingden in Jhapa-3 and Lingden supported Oli in Jhapa-5. Since senior RPP leader Balendra Shah will be the candidate in Jhapa-5, Oli wants to coordinate with Lingden. 

UML has fielded Chakra Snehi as the candidate in Dadeldhura, the home district of former Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba. It is not yet decided whether Deuba will be the candidate due to the split in the Congress. The Congress and UML have formed an alliance in the National Assembly elections. The Congress and the UML have formed an alliance in the elections to be held on 11 Magh for 18 seats.

UML Secretary Bhanubhakta Dhakal said that they will field candidates in all 165 constituencies. NCP leader Beduram Bhusal said that no decision has been made on forming an alliance in the elections. “We are preparing to field candidates in all constituencies. We have already given tickets to most of the candidates,” he said, “There is no decision to form an alliance.”

UML Chairman Oli has also changed the constituencies of some candidates. The candidates for the remaining constituencies that have not been decided have been finalized. Dadiram Neupane is certain to be the candidate in Rupandehi-1, where a decision was not made on Saturday. General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has become the candidate from Dang-2. The decision in Dang-1 will be finalized on Monday. Kamala Bohara was given a ticket in Kanchanpur-1 on Saturday. Her ticket was taken away on Sunday and given to Tara Lama.