Kathmandu Constituency No. 1, which has suddenly come into the spotlight since 2048, after Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, the Prime Minister of the interim government formed after the 2046 changes, lost the election to UML General Secretary Madan Bhandari. It is known as a city with intelligent and well-informed voters.

Known as the place where leaders like Krishna Prasad, Madan, Bidya Bhandari, Pradeep Nepal and others competed, Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh had been winning consecutively in the last four elections from this constituency.

This time, the Congress has fielded the young face of the local Prabal Thapa Chhetri as its candidate.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Rabindra Mishra, who lost to Prakash Man by 125 votes in the 2079 parliamentary elections, is contesting for the third time in the same constituency. He was a candidate for the first time from Bibeksheel Sajha and the second time, and now from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Prakash Man had secured 7,143 votes in the 2079 elections. His nearest rival Mishra had secured 7,18 votes. At that time, Pukar Bam of the National Independent Party received 4,155 votes, Kiran Poudel of the UML received 3,532 votes, Ramesh Kharel of the Sushasan Party received 3,125 votes, and Balkrishna Neupane received 590 votes. In 2074, Prakashman received 10,936 votes and Rabindra received 10,118 votes.

Prakashman won by 818 votes at that time. At that time, Maoist candidate Anil Sharma received 5,333 votes. In the 2079 election, the votes of one party could not be unanimous because the Congress and the Maoists formed an alliance. At that time, the total votes of all independent candidates were 500. Prakashman has won from the same constituency four times from the first Constituent Assembly to 2079.

This time, 29 candidates from political parties including Mohan Raj Regmi from UML, Ranju Neupane (Darshan) from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Menuka Bhandari from Nepali Communist Party (NCP) are in the fray.

This time, there are 13 independent candidates.

This constituency consists of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-10, 11, 29 and 31. It is the smallest constituency among the 10 constituencies in Kathmandu in terms of the number of voters. The total number of voters here is 48,489. The constituency, which has 22 polling stations and 57 polling stations, includes New Baneshwor, Old Baneshwor, Bhimsengola, Dillibazaar, Putalisadak Chowk to the east towards Singha Dabar, Anamnagar, Buddhanagar, Babarmahal, Maitighar Thapathali Bridge to the northwest and Tripereshwor, Bhotebahal.

Although the area is densely populated, the increase in the number of voters is very low. In 2074, the total number of voters was 42,430. Now, 8 years later, there are only 48,500. Suraj Chandra Lamichhane, a member of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly representing this area from the Provincial Assembly (B), says that many people do not register their names in the voter list because many people live abroad. He said that since those who have names are also abroad, the percentage of people who come to cast their votes is low.

Locals expect that there will be a tough competition between all the candidates and the margin of victory will also be small. This time, Thapa of the Congress will be a long-time resident of Thapagaun, while other parties and independent candidates have entered the fray with political backgrounds from various places. Apart from Mishra, Prabal of the Congress, Ranju of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Regmi of the UML and Bhandari of the NCP are new faces for the area. Ranju of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was defeated in the 2074 local elections by running for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City from the Bibeksheel Nepal Party. Although the main duty of MPs is to formulate laws, they cannot please voters unless they make a commitment to solve local problems.

Therefore, this time too, the candidates are preparing to make local problems a major issue. Baneshwor, where young people were martyred during the Gen-G movement, is located in this constituency. Therefore, the party candidates have said that they will raise the incidents of Bhadra 23 and 24 more during the election.

The candidates have said that they will play an active role as MPs to fulfill the dreams of the martyrs, saying that they cannot forget the massacre that took place in their own constituency. Despite being the heart of Kathmandu, where Baneshwor is densely populated, schools, colleges, hostels, party palaces, small industries and government offices, there are voices from time to time that it is not being managed properly.

Squatting problem: Candidates' common agenda

The candidates have expressed their commitment to equally raise the role they have to play in local development as MPs, not just in lawmaking. They are preparing to make the issue of squatting, sewage, roads, housing area management and river control the main issues. The candidates are preparing to make the squatting problem a common slogan.

Out of the four wards of the area, 10, 11 and 31 have a squatting problem. It is estimated that there are about 2,050 squatters in these wards. The issue of squatters, especially from the Bagmati banks to Thapathali, has been raised in every election.

When the Kathmandu Metropolitan City tried to remove the squatters by using dozers, there was a clash between the municipal police and the squatters some time ago. But the locals have complained that this is being made an issue only in the election. The other candidates have been asking why the local problems have not been resolved since the constituency was won by Congress' Prakash Man four times in a row.

Congress candidate Prabal claims that his party leader Prakash Man has initiated a lot of work for the management of squatters. He said that dozers should not be used to solve the problem of squatters and that they should be freed from the atmosphere of fear and resettled. He claims that his party, Congress, is trying to solve the problem through the Squatters Commission. He said, 'No matter what we say, the first thing to do is to identify the real squatters.' UML candidate Regmi says that she is taking the initiative to address local problems.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh candidate Ranju said that they will start by identifying the real squatters and making arrangements for their systematic settlement. She said, 'The problem cannot be solved without evacuating the real squatters.' Saying that a squatter cannot remain a squatter for years, she said that the responsibility for this problem should be taken by whoever has been in power. She is of the opinion that squatters should not be kept away from employment. Saying that the settlement should be handed over only by giving an alternative, she said that those living on the river banks are also being harmed from the environmental point of view.

RPP candidate Mishra says that the problem has not been solved because of politics in the squatter. Adding to the context of political interference in public institutions, universities, constitutional bodies, he accused the Squatter Commission of being politicized by making political appointments. He said, ‘Real squatters should be evicted. Political parties and candidates should not give false assurances. Employment and settlements should be managed. This problem is all over the country, a policy should be brought to solve it in all places.’ He said that the process of removing squatters by using dozers is wrong.