Ashika Tamang, who filed her candidacy from the National Independent Party in Dhading Constituency No. 1, has said that she has not withdrawn her candidacy.

Speaking to Kantipur, amid rumors on social media about her withdrawal of candidacy, she clarified that she had not withdrawn her candidacy. ‘I have not withdrawn it.’ A fake email was sent to the commission in my name while the Election Commission was discussing whether or not I would be allowed to contest the election. ‘I am going to the commission to find out about this,’ she said, ‘Who did this? I will file a complaint.’

Ashika, who is married to a German citizen, was accused of having a foreign identity card. ‘I do not have a foreign identity card. I have a local passport and local citizenship,’ she said.

Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that none of the candidates from Dhading-1, except Ishwar Bharti, has withdrawn. ‘So far, no one has been seen in the list of those withdrawing from this constituency except Bharti,’ he told Kantipur. According to him, 49 candidates from across the country have withdrawn their names as of Friday afternoon.