This time, 13 candidates from various parties including the Nepali Congress and independents are in the fray in the district. Local residents say that Deuba's absence has opened up the election competition, making the results uncertain.
What you should know
Even though different candidates were announced by other parties when the government announced the election, the residents here were confident that Sher Bahadur Deuba would be the candidate from the Nepali Congress. Deuba has had a dominant influence in the district for three decades. However, this time Deuba did not get a ticket.
Deuba's situation changed after he suddenly moved from a position of 'distributing tickets' to a position of 'getting tickets'. He did not get a ticket. It was decided to 'take a break'. After that, the atmosphere in the district has changed.
Deuba is not a candidate in Dadeldhura this time. Young Congress leader Nainsingh Mahar is in the fray in his place. With Deuba not in the fray, voters have started wondering who to vote for.
According to locals, in previous elections, Deuba would enter the fray from the Congress, campaign in his favor would be carried out throughout the district, and ultimately the results would be in his favor. Dadeldhura is a constituency. When a new face comes to replace an established and consistently winning leader like Deuba, there is excitement and confidence among the voters, along with some confusion.
This time, the hustle and bustle is normal. Earlier, Deuba's 'craze' was visible during the elections. This time, after the Congress fielded a different candidate, other political parties and independent candidates have also shown enthusiasm. This time, 13 candidates, including Congress, from various parties and independents, are in the fray in the district. Local residents say that Deuba's absence has opened up the election competition and this has made the results uncertain. According to Amargadhi local Dipesh Air, both expectations and dissatisfaction are visible among the voters. Some say that it is positive for the Congress to field a young candidate. Some say that even if they are young, it would not be good if they come with old thinking. 'Earlier, when Deuba rose, there was no question of who would do what,' he said. 'It seemed almost certain that the Congress would win.' He said that for the first time, all parties in the district have an equal chance of winning the election. He said that earlier, some people used to vote for Deuba in the hope of getting the prime minister of the district.
Some voters have also taken this year's election as an opportunity to question the old parties. Devendra Chataut of Bhageshwor Rural Municipality-4 said that despite being in power and opportunities for a long time, the big parties have not been able to provide development and employment as expected by the people. 'Deuba has a history of winning repeatedly and his decision to take a break is natural and good.'
He said that this time too, he would vote where there is faith and trust. He said that the old practice of winning elections based on big promises and issues such as the West Seti, Pancheshwor project, and making the district the provincial capital should now be changed. 'Voters are thinking of voting for representatives who will actually work rather than big names,' he said.
Surendra Bahadur Bohara, a local of Parshuram Municipality, said that although Deuba has made some efforts in the areas of physical construction including roads, education, and bridges for Dadeldhu, he has not been able to do concrete work for the farmers. He said that not investing in farmers has a direct impact on self-employment. He said that the biggest problem is the lack of markets for the sale of vegetables, grains and other agricultural produce produced by farmers. ‘Production is done, but there is no place to sell and a fair price,’ he complained, ‘The new representative should prioritize the interests of farmers.’
There are few voters in the district who do not reject Deuba’s contribution. Hemraj Joshi of Bhageshwor-2 says that development in the district has been possible because of Deuba. ‘Deuba has contributed to providing access to roads and giving identity to the district,’ he said, ‘He has taken a break, we are also confused about what to do.’ They say that this time’s election is not just a matter of candidate selection but also an opportunity to review long-standing political practices.
