Kalusingh Saund of Kalagaudi, Shuklaphanta Municipality-12, has passed away at the age of 77. He migrated from Purchaudi Municipality-8, Baitadi two decades ago and has been voting from the same constituency in every election since then.

Even before he migrated, the voters of this area had one demand, the construction of the Kaluwapur-Belauri road section.
The main commitment made by the candidates and political parties of this area is also the construction of this road. But even now, neither the demands of the voters of this area have been fulfilled, nor has the commitment of the candidates changed.

Blacktopping of the Kaluwapur-Belauri road section, rehabilitation of those displaced during the expansion of the then Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (now a park), control of erosion and inundation from various rivers including Doda, and solving the problem of unorganized settlement have become an evergreen agenda in every election.  But so far, the drinking water supply has not been operational. 'We have won candidates from all parties, including Congress, UML and Maoists, from this area, but when they come to ask for votes, they say we will work, but after winning, they say our government was not formed, we could not work,' said Ram Bahadur Bista, 70, of Bansaha. 'I don't even feel like voting now, let's see what happens until the voting day.' He is fed up with the promises made by the candidates who go door to door in every election and the fact that none of the work is completed.'

Even now, as the election day approaches, the candidates have started going door to door. They are making various assurances. But the voters have not been able to believe the empty assurances of the candidates.

Shuklaphanta Municipality is in Area No. 2 of Kanchanpur.
Along with Shuklaphanta, all wards except Ward No. 8 of Krishnapur and Bedkot Municipality fall in the area. The area is plagued by problems ranging from free labourers, squatters, displaced people from the reserve to unorganized settlements and human-wildlife conflict. In addition, the problems of river erosion and flooding are also becoming serious. ‘We have grown old by voting on these problems, now we are afraid that we will not even be able to see,’ said Ammi Rawal, who was displaced during the expansion of the then Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. ‘The issue of solving our problems comes up only during elections, after which everyone forgets.’ Two hundred and fifty displaced families, including hers, are currently living in shacks on government land in Mahendranagar Bazaar as part of a movement. Candidates have now started reaching the same area to seek votes.

No candidate or political party has won consecutively in Constituency No. 2. In the first Constituent Assembly election of 2064, Devi Lal Chaudhary of the then CPN-Maoist won. In the second Constituent Assembly election of 2070, NP Saud of the Congress was elected. After the constitution was promulgated, Nar Bahadur Dhami of the UML was elected in the general election of 2074. In the last election, Saud of the Congress won again in 2079.

Even now, Congress leader Saud, who is also a former foreign minister, is the candidate from the Congress. Bachan Bahadur Singh from the UML, Madhav Prasad Pant from the Nepali Communist Party, and Deepak Bohora from the National Independent Party are candidates. There are 19 candidates, including 4 independents, in constituency number 2.

Now there is a competition between the experienced candidates from the Congress and the young generation who have become candidates from other parties. Now all the candidates are going to the doorsteps of the voters and making promises to solve the problems of displaced people, squatters, unorganized settlements, unemployment, and the construction of a separate industrial zone.

‘The people elected us for five years, but the parliament was dissolved before the scheduled time,’ said Congress candidate Saud, ‘Some of the commitments made to the people and the work as per the manifesto are yet to be done, there are plans to take forward some old and some new works.’ He said that the work of blacktopping one and a half kilometers of the Kaluwapur-Belorauri road section has started.’

UML candidate Singh is promising to solve many problems in his constituency. ‘The current election is not natural. It is a fight between burning the country and building the country,’ he said, ‘There are many problems in my constituency, the focus will be on solving all of them.’ He said that he would prioritize solving problems including displaced people, squatters, unorganized settlements, unemployment, etc. He said that special initiatives would be taken to bring the industrial zone in Chhela of Bedkot Municipality into operation.’

‘The people want good governance and prosperity, that is my commitment,’ said Nepali Communist Party candidate Madhav Prasad Pant, ‘There are various problems at the local level as well, I will take the initiative to solve them.’ He said that he will take the initiative to build roads and bridges, from squatters and displaced persons to those displaced by the reserve.

There are a total of 199,574 voters in Constituency No. 2, including 53,445 men and 56,128 women. In the last election, Congress’s Saud won from this constituency by getting 28,136 votes. His nearest rival, UML’s Nar Bahadur Dhami, got 21,682 votes. In the 2074 election as well, these two candidates were the main competitors. At that time, UML’s Dhami got 33,220 votes and Congress’s Saud got 24,893 votes.

It has been 5 years since the contract agreement was signed for the construction of the Kaluwapur-Belauri road section, which becomes an election agenda in every election. A contract agreement was signed with Santoshi Thegim Construction Company in 2077 Poush for Rs 116.4 million to complete the work within three years. In which, 9 kilometers of the Belauri section from Kaluwapur to the south, 3 kilometers, and the Nile road via Domilla to the north, 6 kilometers, were to be blacktopped. Work has not even started on the 6 kilometers to the north. Work on the remaining 1.5 kilometers to the south has been progressing since this week, said Padam Madai, Chief Engineer of the Infrastructure Development Office, Mahendranagar.