As the excitement of the House of Representatives elections increases, interest and discussion are focused on some areas due to the so-called 'heavyweight' candidates. In those areas where party chairmen/presidents, former prime ministers, well-known outgoing municipal heads and emerging leaders have been nominated, other candidates are often in the background. But some candidates who are less visible in the media and not recognized by the 'algorithms' of social media are in a quiet but strong competition.

Jhapa-5 is in the news because of UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sansthan, Sunsari-1 Labor Culture Chairman Hark Sampang, Saptari-2 Janmat Chairman CK Raut, Saptari-3 JSP Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav and Sarlahi-4 Congress President Gagan Thapa and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sansthan leader Amresh Singh.

Rautahat-1 CPN Co-Coordinator Madhav Nepal, Chitwan-2 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sansthan President Rabi Lamichhane, Chitwan-3 former Metropolitan Mayor Renu Dahal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sansthan leader Sobita Gautam, Kathmandu-3 Ujjaya Nepal Chairman Kulman Ghising, Tanahun-1 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sansthan Vice President Swarnim Wagle and Rukum former CPN Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal have become 'hotspots'. However, other parties and independent candidates are competing strongly in these areas. 

Amrit Rasaili of Buddhashanti Rural Municipality-4 in Jhapa is a candidate from the Rastriya Mukti Party. A worker at a car washing company in Mechinagar, he is competing with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Balendra Shah and others in Jhapa-5.

He is close to the identity movement that flares up and subsides from time to time in the east. ‘We do politics of ideas and identity,’ he says, ‘we do not do politics of power.’ Rasaili says that he has become a candidate to defeat all his competitors. ‘Who goes to the field to lose!’ He adds, ‘Like everyone else, my goal is also to win.’

Shan Bahadur Meche, a candidate from the Mongol National Organization, is the only candidate from the minority tribal community competing in Jhapa-5. He lives in Mechinagar-3 ward of Jhapa and earns his living by farming. He says, ‘There is a clash in Jhapa-5 between two forces that have created an unfavorable situation in the country. Voters clearly know this.'

Dambar Sahu has come from Salyan to defeat Oli and Shah. The story behind his becoming an independent candidate in Jhapa-5 is interesting. At one time, he was considered close to Balendra Shah. He was also the coordinator of the national campaign of independent candidates. 

He came to Jhapa in search of a stick after Shah left the 'stick' election symbol behind. 'I came to Jhapa in search of the stick that Balendra left behind,' he says, 'Democracy is in danger. I have also become a candidate in Jhapa to protect that democracy. Whether I win or not is not the main thing.'

A former media worker, he now makes a living through an event management company in Kathmandu.

The Rastriya Parivartan Party is a party born after the Gen-G movement. This party, which has Rajesh Portel, who was injured in the movement, as its coordinator, has fielded District President Sabin Rai as its candidate in Jhapa-5. The Parivartan Party has also entered into an electoral alliance with Kulman Ghising-led Ujjaj Nepal.

Rai is a photo studio operator from Kamal Rural Municipality-5 in Jhapa. ‘People are disappointed with the old parties,’ he says, a graduate in journalism. ‘We have entered the election fray as an alternative to the old forces.’

Ranjana Gautam is an independent candidate. She is an accountant and a businessman living in Purveli Tole, Damak Municipality-9. She has entered the fray with the gas stove election symbol. ‘When you say independent, they look at her as if she cannot win,’ she says, ‘But, I am fully confident that I will win.’ While seeking votes, many voters ask her, ‘Can you win?’ She laughs and says, ‘Why would I stand if I could not win.’

In this same area, the Congress has fielded Mandhara Chimaria. Born in Taplejung in 2019, Chimaria entered the civil service through the Public Service Commission in 2038. She has been active in the Congress since 2048. She is also a social activist who has played a leadership role from ward to district level. While KP and Balendra are being discussed, she claims that her victory is certain.

Amritlal Mahato has emerged from Janmat Party. Mahato, who hails from Gaurigunj-3, Jhapa, has been involved in politics since the establishment of Janmat Party. He is a hotelier by profession and is also involved in buying and selling wooden furniture.

RPP has given a ticket to Laxmi Prasad Sangraula. He has been continuously active in politics since 2040. In the past, he had his own party, the Rastriya Swabhiman Party. That party merged with RPP in 2070. He is now a central member of RPP. He is a Marvel businessman.

JSP Nepal candidate Dhiren Subba has been involved in politics since the student movement of 2035. He was the Jhapa district president when Ashok Rai separated from UML and formed a separate Federal Socialist Party. He is currently a central member of JSP Nepal. He became a ward member of Damak-13 in 2054. 

Ranjit Tamang, who got a ticket from the Nepali Communist Party, entered politics through the student movement. Tamang was also involved in the 12-year armed revolution started by the then Maoists. He is the first elected president of Akhil Krantikari. Tamang, from Topgachhi in Kamal Rural Municipality of Jhapa, is currently a central member of the NCP. 

Sameer Tamang, the candidate of the Shram Sanskriti Party, is the party's joint general secretary. He has been involved in the movement for identity for a long time and has recently joined the Shram Sanskriti Party. He has claimed that he will win in this area with the agenda set by his party.

Here, Padam Bahadur Jabegu has filed his candidacy from the Janmukti Party, Sabin Rai from the Rastriya Parivartan Party, and Sushant Sampang Rai from the Federal Democratic National Forum. The CPN-Maoist has nominated Sanjay Rai and the People's First Party has nominated Dharmaraj Guragain. Arjan Sapkota, Khemnath Shiwakoti, Dambar Sahu, Pushkar Khatiwada, Prakash Nepal, Matrika Bhattarai, Ranjana Gautam, Bipul Guragain and Shobha Bhandari are independent candidates. 

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There are 26 candidates in Sunsari-1, including Hark Sampang, chairman of the Shram Sanskriti Party and former mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City. Of these, 19 have filed their candidacies from political parties and 7 have filed their candidacies independently. Despite so many candidates, the election discussion seems to be centered around Sampang, but candidates from other parties are also strong.

Here, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has fielded Goma Tamang (Sarin), who was defeated by only 453 votes in the last election, as its candidate this time as well. While Tamang got 16,606 votes in the 2079 election, the winner, Ashok Kumar Rai of JSP Nepal, got 17,059 votes. Tamang returned 6 years ago after working as a 'care giver' in Israel for 14 years. After that, she became active in social work. She identifies herself as a gay man.

NCP candidate Surya Prasad Bhattarai (Manoj) is a former ward president of Dharan-17. He resigned after winning two consecutive terms as ward president and entered the election fray. Bhattarai had joined the then Maoist party after the 2062/63 Jan Andolan. He says, ‘Those who have a strong agenda and can win the hearts of the people will be elected. My competition is not only with Hark Sampang, but with all the candidates.’

Congress candidate Sujendra Gole is the regional president of the party. He has experience of holding responsibilities such as regional treasurer, regional secretary, and district secretary. He claims that he will win the election because he has been active in the party organization and social sector for a long time. ‘I have been going to the people with my agenda rather than becoming famous,’ he says.

UML has fielded 42-year-old Tikaram Manglen Limbu as its candidate. Having been the district president and central member of ANNFSU, he started party politics in 2064 as the secretary of UML Dharan-10. He has been a district committee member since 2077.

District president Rajkumar Limbu is a candidate from the Federal Democratic National Forum. The 31-year-old says, "Being famous on social media does not mean that you will win the election. Voters are looking for an agenda, an honest and working leader."

JSP has fielded Sanjay Rai as its candidate. He started politics from UML and later joined JSP. He is currently the party's chief secretary. Rai says, "Due to the influence of big parties and social media, candidates with good agendas are falling behind. The agendas of small parties have not been able to come up in the public debate."

Central Deputy General Secretary Naresh BK is in the fray from the United Citizens Party. ‘Heavyweights and talk alone cannot win elections, we have to reach out to the people,’ says the 40-year-old, ‘We are campaigning on issues of education, health, transport, good governance and the Dalit community.’

56-year-old independent candidate Deuman Limbu has made the independent campaign of peace, prosperity and good governance his main issue. He complains that the election talk is focused on a specific candidate. He says, ‘Our agenda has not reached the people because we are not popular on social media and there is no election campaign.’

In Sunsari-1, Mahesh Shrestha from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Uddhav Shrestha from the RPP, Nagendra Bahadur Limbu from the JSP Nepal, Rajendra Gurung from the Mongol National Organization, Bhupi Rai from the Rastriya Sajha Party, and Dil Kumar Bastola from the CPN-Maoist are candidates. Nepal Janmukti Party has fielded Yam Bahadur Limbu, Aam Janata Party has fielded Ram Bahadur Bista, Miteri Party has fielded Raksha Kumar Rai, and Nepali Janashramdan Sanskritik Party has fielded Rajkumar Rai. Om Krishna Udas, Chet Bahadur Rai, Jeevan Kala Rai, Shesh Prasad Regmi, Subash Bishwakarma, and Sumit Rai have filed their candidacies as independent candidates.

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Saptari-2 is the constituency where JSP Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav and Janmat Party Chairman CK Raut contested in 2079 BS. Raut, who won the election at that time, has fielded his candidacy in the same constituency this time as well, while Yadav is contesting in Saptari-3.

Satish Kumar Singh, who became the candidate from Swabhiman Party, is a former Chief Minister. He left CK Raut's Janmat Party and resigned as a member of the Provincial Assembly and launched a new party himself.

Singh, who started politics in 2053 from the student organization of the then Sadbhavana Party, later joined the Rastriya Madhesh Samajwadi Party and became the district president. He also became the district president after the formation of the RJP with 6 Madhesh-centric parties.

He was elected as the president of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality from the RJP in 2074. In 2079, he was again a candidate for the position of the municipality president from the RJP but was defeated. He immediately joined the Janmat Party and became a member of the Provincial Assembly. He then became the chairman of the Finance and Planning Committee in the Madhesh Provincial Assembly and became the Chief Minister in 2080.

The Ujjaya Nepal Party has fielded Deepak Chaudhary, who has a PhD in leadership and good governance, as its candidate. He is a leader who has worked in the electricity sector for a long time. He identifies himself as a development expert. He says, "The common people are tired of the old parties and leaders, so I will win the election."

The RSVP has given a ticket to Engineer Ramji Yadav. He started his political journey in 2073 from the then Rastriya Janata Party. ‘There is more to right/wrong than new/old faces,’ he says, ‘I am receiving immense love from the people in the election meetings. I am confident that the people will win.’

The NCP has fielded Suryanath Prasad Yadav in Saptari-2. He started his political journey by joining the ANNFSU in 2048 BS. He became a member of the Interim Legislative Assembly from the then Maoists in 2063 BS. Later, he became a member of the Constituent Assembly.

Sharad Singh Yadav is the candidate from the Janadhikar Party here. His political journey began in 2068 BS from the then Sadbhavana Party. He became a central member of that party. After the party integration, he became a central member of the Democratic Socialist Party (LSP). He also took on the responsibility of the central spokesperson of the Janmat Party. Now, he has entered the election fray from another party.

JSP Nepal has fielded Umesh Kumar Yadav. He was in the NCP before the second week of Poush. He had won from Saptari-3 in the 2070 Constituent Assembly elections. In 2074, he was defeated by JSP Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav. In 2079, he was defeated by Janmat Party's Mahesh Yadav when he ran for provincial assembly member from Saptari 2(2).

UML has fielded Mohammad Ziaul Rahman in the election contest. In 2067, he became a district committee member of ANRFSU. Ram Kumar Yadav is the candidate from the Nepali Congress, Balram Prasad Yadav from the Janata Loktantrik Party, Anish Ansari from the Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, and Afroz Alam from the Rastra Nirman Dal Nepal.

Ranju Kumari Jha (Thakur) is the candidate from the Nepal Janata Party, Rajkumar Mandal from the Nepal Federal Socialist Party, Ajay Kumar Das from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Neelam Kumari Yadav from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Deepak Kumar Mandal from the Sovereign Citizen, and Sunil Raj Das from the Aam Janata Party are in the election fray. For Nepal, the Nepali Party has fielded Indra Sagar Gupta and the Shram Sanskriti Party has fielded Tribhuvan Khang.

Independent candidates Jiten Kumar Yadav, Parasmani Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary, Abhinash Kumar Singh, Prem Kumar Yadav, Bisheshwar Yadav, Ram Vilas Thakur, Binodananda Jha, Santosh Kumar Rajak, Sadhana Das, Bindu Kumari Chaudhary, Sushila Kumari Sah, Kisundev Ram and Ambikadevi Safi have filed their candidacies.

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Saptari-3 is in the news after JSP Nepal President Upendra Yadav filed his candidacy by changing the constituency. After being defeated in Saptari-2 in 2079, Yadav won from Bara-2 in the 2080 by-election. There are currently 22 candidates in Saptari-3, including him.

Congress has fielded Dinesh Kumar Yadav, who was elected in 2079, as its candidate this time as well. He became the district president of the Nepali Sangh in 2037. After participating in the Satyagraha of 2042, he became a central member of the Nepali Sangh in 2049. He became the then District Development Committee president in 2054. He has been contesting elections many times and won from this constituency in 2079.

Tarakant Chaudhary, an old candidate from UML, has also re-elected. He became active in politics from the then ML in 2042. He won the Constituent Assembly election from UML in 2070. He was defeated in 2074 and 2079. In 2079, Congress' Yadav won by getting 26,166 votes, while Chaudhary got 22,300 votes. At that time, Congress, Maoist and other parties were in an alliance. Chaudhary claims that this time the results will be in his favor.

Amarkant Chaudhary is the candidate from Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He is the son of Chandrakant Chaudhary, who won the election in Saptari-3 from the then RJP in 2074. Amarkant also started his political journey from the then RJP in 2074. He claims that he will win the election even if he is somewhat overshadowed in this year's election due to old and familiar leaders.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has summoned Amar Kant for a statement on Thursday, alleging that a complaint has been filed against him for irregularities in the construction of the Shrikant Chandra Model Secondary School building in Dakneshwari Municipality-5.

Arun Kumar Sah is the candidate from the NCP. He started his political journey from the then Maoist in 2056. 'I am confident that the people will win this election with the youth leadership that the people want,' he says.

Umdeshwar Prasad Sah is the candidate from the RPP, Gajendra Kumar Mandal from the Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, Surendra Prasad Sharma from the Janmat Party, and Jayanarayan Mandal from the Shram Sanskriti Party are the candidates. Similarly, Dhaniklal Chaudhary from the Aam Janata Party, Parmeshwarlal Sah from the Ujjaya Nepal Party, Prabhu Prasad Sah from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Mahadev Ram from the Bahujan Ekta Party Nepal, and Santosh Kumar Chaman from the Nepal Janata Party have filed their candidacies.

Harinarayan Pasman, Sarita Kumari Yadav, Raziyadevi Sada, Prabhunarayan Chaudhary, Om Prakash Bishwakarma, Koshiladevi, Kaushal Kumari Chaudhary and Dubilal Yadav are independent candidates. 

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Voters say that UML's Amnish Kumar Yadav should not be underestimated in Sarlahi-4, where Congress President Gagan Thapa and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Amresh Singh are facing off. 27-year-old Amnish is the son of former MP Shivpujan Yadav.

In the 2064 Constituent Assembly election, Shivpujan stood up from the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and defeated the then Tarai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party President Mahantha Thakur and then Congress leader Amresh Singh. In the second Constituent Assembly election of 2070, Shivpujan was a candidate from the Tarai-Madhesh Sadbhavana Party but did not win the election. He has been putting forward his son or daughter since he was found guilty by the court in the passport case and was not allowed to contest. 

Shivpujan's daughter Madhumala Kumari came third in 2079 BS by filing an independent candidacy and getting 14,622 votes. She has also filed her nomination as an independent. But Shivpujan says that her nomination was only to get the facility of a vehicle and booth agent in the elections to help Amnish.

Amnish, who is studying at Sarlahi Campus, became active in politics only after the Gen-G movement. Shivpujan joined UML after the NCP did not give him a ticket and got a ticket for his son. UML leaders claim that Shivpujan has a strong 'vote bank' in Sarlahi-4. Shivpujan's younger son Rajababu Yadav is the chairman of Ramnagar Rural Municipality.

Rameshwor Ray Yadav is the candidate from Janata Samajwadi Party in this area. He was active in Nepal Sadbhavana Party for a long time. Before entering politics in 2041 BS He was elected as a member of the National Assembly in 2048. He became the Minister of Social Welfare and Forests in 2052. In the 2064 election, he contested and lost from the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum. In 2070, he was not a candidate. In 2074, he won from the then Maoist in Sarlahi-3. He was also the Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security in 2076. Rameshwar left the NCP on 4th Magh and joined the JSP. Rameshwar Rai says, 'I am a familiar face to the voters. I am also strong in terms of organization and votes.'

NCP candidate Rajneesh Rai is an MBBS doctor. He came home to become a candidate while studying MD at Dhaka University in Bangladesh. Rajneesh says that he came into politics because of his family background. His mother Anita Yadav was a candidate for the mayor of Godaita Municipality from the Maoist in 2074 and 2079. In the 2079 provincial assembly election, she filed an independent candidacy. She was defeated in all three elections. 

Former journalist Rakesh Kumar Mishra has filed his candidacy from Janmat Party. He had contested the 2074 House of Representatives election from Rastriya Janata Party and got his second vote. In 2079, he changed his party and became a candidate of JSP. At that time, he came fourth with 5,813 votes. This time, he has taken the ticket by changing the party. 

Ujjaya Nepal Party candidate Pitambar Singh Kushwaha is a renowned veterinarian who studied at Purdue University in the US. He says that he has filed his candidacy to transform the public anger arising from the Gen-G movement into a positive direction. 

Udayakanta Mishra is a candidate from Rastriya Mukti Nepal. He was the candidate from Sarlahi-4 (2) from JSP in 2079. He recently changed his party and took the ticket from Rastriya Mukti Nepal. 

Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party candidate Ramcharitra Sahni is a former teacher. Aam Janata Party has fielded Rinku Kumari Sah in the contest. 40-year-old Sah is a social activist. 

Ramnath Prasad Sah from the Communist Party of Nepal (United) and Harinandan Kumar Ranjan from the Bahujan Ekta Party Nepal are also in the fray. 

Arvind Kumar Thakur, Ram Pravesh Yadav, Gyanendra Prasad Kushwaha, Sanjeev Kumar Paswan, Raman Mishra, Sulpani Jha, Jaishankar Singh Kushwaha, Nilesh Kumar Yadav, Vikram Yadav, Amitranjan Singh, Ambuj Prasad Sah, Narendra Prasad Singh, Lakhendra Mahato and Ajay Ojha have filed their candidacies as independent candidates.

Similarly, Santosh Kumar Nishad, Sachitra Sahni, Ganesh Prasad Singh, Kamlesh Mandal, Chunchun Bhandari, Shiv Prasad Sah, Madhumala Kumari Yadav, Chhotelal Kumar Yadav, Mukesh Prasad Kushwaha, Mahesh Mandal Dhanuk and Dheeraj Thakur are also independent candidates.

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Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is the candidate from the NCP in Rautahat-1. Other parties have fielded influential candidates to challenge him. 

UML has fielded former mayor of Gaur Municipality Ajay Kumar Gupta. Gupta started his political journey in 2053 by becoming a member of the Sadbhavana Party's sister organization, Vidyarthi Manch. He rose to the position of central general secretary in the Manch and district secretary in the Sadbhavana Party. 

During the reign of the king, he became the mayor of Gaur Municipality in 2062. In 2070, he became the district president of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic). In 2074, he joined the UML and became the mayor of Gaur Municipality. He is now a central member of the UML. 

When Gupta became a candidate for the Constituent Assembly member election from the Democratic Forum, he was defeated by the then UML leader Nepal by a margin of 338 votes. In the 2079 election, Gupta was a candidate from the UML, but was defeated by Nepal, who was a candidate from the Unified Socialist Party, by a margin of 6,600 votes. Gupta claims to overturn the result this time. He says, 'I am always with the people, this time I will win.' 

The 'surprise' candidacy in this area is that of Anil Kumar Jha. Jha, who is also a former minister, joined the Congress on the eve of the election and took the ticket. In 2074, he defeated Krishna Prasad Yadav of the Congress (currently the Chief Minister of Madhesh Province) by 5,598 votes after rising from the then Rastriya Janata Party. Jha, who has been active in politics since 2046, was made a member of the Constituent Assembly by the Sadbhavana Party in 2064 through proportional representation. He has been a minister in the federal government twice. 

Yogendra Raya Yadav of JSP Nepal is also considered strong. He became the acting president of the Vidyarthi Manch, a sister organization of Sadbhavana, in 2057. In 2067, when the then Madhesi Janadhikar Forum president Upendra Yadav was the Deputy Prime Minister, he became the chief personal secretary. In the 2067 Janakpur general convention, Yogendra  Yadav also became the central president of the Madhesi Youth Forum, a sister organization of the Forum. 

He won the 2074 provincial assembly election from the Federal Socialist Forum. त्यति बेला मधेश प्रदेशमा भूमिमन्त्री भएका थिए । २०७९ को प्रदेशसभा निर्वाचनमा भने उनी तेस्रो भए । यादव बाहुल्य क्षेत्रमा जातीय मत पाए नतिजा उनको पक्षमा जान सक्ने उनीनिकट नेताहरू बताउँछन् । 

जनमत पार्टीले देवेन्द्र मिश्रलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । मिश्र २०४८ मा यसै क्षेत्रबाट उम्मेदवार थिए तर तेस्रो भए । उनी लामो समय मधेशकेन्द्रित दलमा रहेर संगठन विस्तारमा सक्रिय थिए । 

रास्वपाबाट राजेश चौधरी मैदानमा छन् । उनले २०४६ सालमा कांग्रेसबाट राजनीति सुरु गरेका थिए । २०७४ मा प्रदेशसभा निर्वाचनमा कांग्रेसबाट प्रतिस्पर्धा गरेका थिए । २०७९ मा प्रदेशमा टिकट नपाएपछि उनले स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारी दिए । त्यसपछि निष्क्रिय रहे । २०७९ मा रास्वपा प्रवेश गरेर यस पटक उम्मेदवारी दिएका हुन् । उनी व्यापारिक घरानाका नेता हुन् । 

यस क्षेत्रमा २१ जनाले स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । त्यसमा राजुकुमार मुखिया, मुनिन्द्रकुमार ठाकुर, श्यामबाबु प्रसाद, इन्दुदेवी गुप्ता, शम्भु प्रसाद, लक्ष्मेश्वरनारायण साह, विवेक चौधरी, रामसेवक राय, रामनरेश राय यादव र सञ्जीवकुमार यादव छन् । मृणालकुमार शाह, अमृताकुमारी यादव, रामकृत साह, रामानन्द शर्मा, राधेश्याम साह तेली, सरोजकुमार कुशवाहा, रवि अर्चनम् वर्मा, अभिषेक मिश्र, दिनेश राय, दिनेशकुमार यादव र रामकिशोर ठाकुरले पनि स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् ।

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रास्वपा सभापति रवि लामिछानेले लगातार दुई पटक (२०७०, २०८०) चुनाव जितेको चितवन–२ मा कांग्रेसले सामाजिक अभियन्ता मीनाकुमारी खरेललाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । उनी लामो समयदेखि महिला सशक्तीकरण, महिला तथा बालबालिकाको अधिकार र सामाजिक सेवाका क्षेत्रमा सक्रिय छिन् । चितवनका ग्रामीण तथा सहरी समुदायमा उनी परिचित छिन् । उनले १३/१४ वर्षको उमेरमा पञ्चायतका गलत कदमविरुद्ध आवाज उठाएकी थिइन् । 

२०४४ सालमा चितवनमा पञ्चायतले विद्यालय शुल्क तोकेपछि घटाउनुपर्छ भन्ने आन्दोलनको नेतृत्व खरेलले नै गरेकी थिइन् । उनी वीरेन्द्र बहुमुखी क्याम्पसमा नेविसंघको अध्यक्ष भइन् । चितवन कांग्रेस जिल्ला कार्यसमिति सदस्य र महासमिति सदस्यसमेत बनिन् । ५३ वर्षीया खरेलले समाजशास्त्रमा स्नातकोत्तर गरेकी छन् ।

एमालेले ३८ वर्षीय अस्मिन घिमिरेलाई प्रतिस्पर्धामा उतारेको छ । सप्तगण्डकी क्याम्पसबाट स्नातकोत्तर गरेका घिमिरे पार्टीको बागमती प्रदेश कमिटी सदस्य हुन् । उनी राष्ट्रिय युवा परिषद्को चितवन जिल्ला अध्यक्ष भइसकेका छन् । एमालेको विद्यार्थी संगठन अनेरास्ववियुको विभिन्न पदमा रहेर काम गरेका उनी युवा संघमा पनि थिए । 

३४ वर्षका मिलन थापा मगर चितवन–२ मा श्रम संस्कृति पार्टीबाट उम्मेदवार छन् । नेपाल मगर संघ र मगर विद्यार्थी संगठनमा सक्रिय रहँदै आएका मिलन दुई महिनाअघि श्रम संस्कृति पार्टीमा आबद्ध भएका हुन् । उनी पार्टीका जिल्ला उपाध्यक्ष हुन् । 

एमबीए गरेका मगरले रिडी शप एन्ड केमिकल इन्डस्ट्रिज सञ्चालन गरेका छन्, जसले साबुन उत्पादन गर्छ ।

नेकपाले प्रताप गुरुङलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । ४२ वर्षीय गुरुङ २०५२ मै तत्कालीन माओवादीमा आबद्ध भएका थिए । २०५५ देखि २०५८ सालसम्म माझगाउँ माध्यमिक विद्यालयमा अध्यापन गरे । २०५८ मा चितवन जिल्लाको ‘जनसरकार सदस्य’ बनेका उनी पक्राउ परेर करिब १४ महिना जेल बसे । २०७४ मा उनी इच्छाकामना गाउँपालिकाको अध्यक्ष उम्मेदवार बनेका थिए तर पराजित भए । हाल उनी नेकपाको बागमती प्रदेश सचिवालय सदस्य छन् ।

शोभा बासुकला नेमकिपाबाट उम्मेदवार छिन् । ३६ वर्षीया उनी भक्तपुरकी बासिन्दा हुन् । शोभा २०६८ सालदेखि नेमकिपाको राजनीतिमा संलग्न छिन् । ‘पार्टी वा उम्मेदवार छान्ने आधार ठूलो वा सानो भनेर हेर्ने हैन, सिद्धान्त र विचार हेर्नुपर्छ । हामी सिद्धान्त र कार्यक्रमसहित जनतामा जानेछौं,’ उनी भन्छिन् ।

चितवन–२ मा ६ स्वतन्त्रसहित २३ उम्मेदवार छन् । यहाँ राप्रपाले जगदीश्वर अधिकारी, जसपा नेपालले कमानसिंह चौधरी, जनमत पार्टीले निर्मलाकुमारी ठाकुर, राष्ट्रिय जनमोर्चाले देवी शर्मा, प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीले प्रकाशबहादुर पाण्डे र मंगोल नेसनल अर्गनाइजेसनले ऋषा गोलेलाई उठाएका छन् । नेसनल रिपब्लिक नेपालबाट शक्तिराज गुरुङ, नेकपा माओवादीबाट दिर्शनाकुमारी शाही र उज्यालो नेपाल पार्टीबाट निखिल कुमार पाख्रिन उम्मेदवार छन् । 

नागरिक उन्मुक्ति पार्टीले सुवास महतो र आम जनाता पार्टीले देवीकुमारी मगरलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएका छन् । इन्द्रबहादुर स्याङताङ, प्रतापसिंह तमाङ, रवि कुमाल, प्रवीन सापकोटा, कृष्णप्रसाद चापागाईं र शंकुप्रसाद जैसीले स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । 

०००

नेकपाकी रेनु दाहाल, रास्वपाकी सोविता गौतमलगायतसँग प्रतिस्पर्धाका लागि कांग्रेसले चितवन–३ मा टेकप्रसाद गुरुङलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । ७७ वर्षका गुरुङ यस क्षेत्रका २३ उम्मेदवारमध्ये जेठा हुन् । 

उनी २०२६ वैशाखमा तत्कालीन शारदानगर गाउँ पञ्चायतको वडा ३ को अध्यक्षमा निर्वाचित भएका थिए, २०२९ मा प्रधानपञ्च निर्वाचित भए । २०३५ मा शिवनगरको प्रधानपञ्च भए । त्यही साल उनी जिल्ला पञ्चायत सभापति बने । जनमत संग्रहका बेला प्रजातन्त्र पक्षधर भएको आरोप लगाउँदै उनलाई निलम्बन गरिएको थियो तर २०३९ मा उनी फेरि जिल्ला पञ्चायत सभापति चुनिए । गुरुङ २०४४ सालमा पनि जिल्ला पञ्चायत सभापति भए ।

गुरुङ २०४३ को राष्ट्रिय पञ्चायत सदस्य निर्वाचनमा उम्मेदवार भएका थिए तर पाँचौं मत ल्याएका कारण चुनिन सकेनन् । २०५१ को प्रतिनिधसभा निर्वाचनमा कांग्रेसबाट उम्मेदवार बन्दा पराजित भए । २०६४ को संविधानसभा सदस्य निर्वाचनमा पनि उठेका थिए, जित्न सकेनन् । 

चितवन–३ मा एमालेका उम्मेदवार हुन् शंकर थपलिया । उनी एमाले भरतपुर महानगर समितिका अध्यक्ष र पटिहानी पर्यटन विकास समितिका अध्यक्ष हुन् । उनीसँग ३५ वर्ष लामो राजनीतिक अनुभव छ । 

राष्ट्रिय जनमोर्चाले कृष्णबहादुर केसीलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । २०२६ मा जन्मेका केसी २०४५ मा रोजगारीका लागि भारत पसेपछि पार्टी राजनीतिमा सामेल भएका थिए । उनी नेकपा मसालनिकट अखिल भारत नेपाली एकता समाजमा आबद्ध थिए । यूएई गएपछि पनि त्यही संगठनमा क्रियाशील रहे । केसीले धौलागिरी योग विज्ञान साधना केन्द्र सञ्चालन गरेर योग प्रशिक्षण पनि दिँदै आएका छन् । 

चितवन–३ मा नेत्रविक्रम चन्द नेतृत्वको नेकपा माओवादीले ३६ वर्षका आशिकप्रसाद महतोलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएको छ । माडी–४ खैरहनीका महतो १५ वर्षदेखि पार्टीमा आबद्ध छन् । विज्ञानमा स्नातक गरेका उनले माडी दिवाकर स्मृति विद्यालयमा नौ वर्ष पढाएका थिए । 

यहाँ राप्रपाले दीपक थापा मगर, जसपा नेपालले थमनसिङ सुनार, नेमकिपाले बद्रीलक्ष्मी कवाँ, प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीले बुद्धिराज तामाङ, मंगोल नेसनल अर्गनाइजेसनले टेकप्रसाद तामाङ, नेकपा संयुक्तले जितबहादुर विक र राष्ट्रिय नागरिक पार्टीले विजन गुरुङलाई उम्मेदवार बनाएका छन् । 

नेसनल रिपब्लिक नेपालबाट सेतीमाया तामाङ, श्रम संस्कृति पार्टीबाट तोजमान गुरुङ, उज्यालो नेपाल पार्टीबाट डम्बरबहादुर तामाङ र नागरिक उन्मुक्ति पार्टी नेपालका हरिमाया महतो उम्मेदवार छन् । कृष्णप्रसाद अधिकारी, रञ्जना पौडेल, इन्द्रमाया पौडेल, रोलबहादुर गुरुङ, मधुमाया अधिकारी र पार्वती पौडेल काफ्ले स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवार हुन् ।

०००

लोडसेडिङ अन्त्य गरेर लोकप्रिय बनेका नेपाल विद्युत् प्राधिकरणका पूर्वकार्यकारी निर्देशक कुलमान घिसिङले उम्मेदवारी दिएका कारण काठमाडौं–३ आम चासोमा छ । उनी आफ्नै नेतृत्वको उज्यालो नेपाल पार्टीबाट उम्मेदवार बनेका छन् ।

तुलनात्मक रूपमा कम चर्चामा देखिएका अन्य उम्मेदवारले यस क्षेत्रमा बलियो दाबेदारी प्रस्तुत गरिरहेका छन् । कांग्रेसबाट रमेश अर्याल उम्मेदवार छन् । उनी २०७४ मा गोकर्णेश्वर–६ को वडाध्यक्षमा निर्वाचित भएका थिए ।

एमाले उम्मेदवार रामेश्वर फुयाल २०७९ मा प्रदेशसभा सदस्यमा पराजित भएका थिए । २०६४ को संविधानसभा निर्वाचनमा उनी कांग्रेसका चक्रबहादुर ठकुरीसँग पराजित भएका थिए । २०७० मा फुयालले ठकुरीलाई पराजित गरे । फुयाल आलापोटका पूर्वगाविस अध्यक्ष हुन् ।

रास्वपाबाट राजुनाथ पाण्डेले उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । उनी केही साताअघिसम्म काठमाडौं महानगरपालिकामा महानगर प्रहरी प्रमुख थिए । उनी राजीनामा दिएर चुनावी मैदानमा उत्रिएका हुन् ।

यहाँ नेकपाबाट नीरज लामा, राप्रपाबाट सुन्दरराम बोहरा, जसपा नेपालबाट प्रनिलध्वज कार्की, नेमकिपाबाट मदन श्रेष्ठ उम्मेदवार छन् ।

प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीबाट शेखर अर्याल, मंगोल नेसनल अर्गनाइजेसनबाट कुलबहादुर लामा, नेकपा संयुक्तबाट बाबुकाजी कार्की, नेसनल रिपब्लिक नेपालबाट प्रेमछिरिङ शेर्पा र श्रम संस्कृति पार्टीबाट सुवास घिसिङले उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । मितेरी पार्टी नेपालले जितबहादुर तामाङ, नेकपा माओवादीले शेखरनाथ आचार्य र आमजनता पार्टीले रूपसागर देवीलाई उठाएका छन् । केशव नेपाल, प्रदीप काफ्ले, रामकृष्ण पुजारी, श्रीकृष्ण बराल, सज्जन आचार्य र सुरेशकुमार ढुंगाना भने स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवार हुन् । काठमाडौं–३ मा २०७४ मा एमाले र २०७९ मा कांग्रेसका उम्मेदवार विजयी भएका थिए ।

०००

१० वैशाख २०८० को उपनिर्वाचनमा चुनाव जितेका रास्वपा उपसभापति स्वर्णिम वाग्ले फेरि उम्मेदवार बनेका कारण तनहुँ–१ चर्चामा छ । यो क्षेत्रमा २०७९ को चुनावमा कांग्रेसबाट रामचन्द्र पौडेलले जितेका थिए । उनी राष्ट्रपति भएपछि उपनिर्वाचन गराइएको थियो । अहिले राजनीतिक दलका १३ र स्वतन्त्र ३ गरी १६ उम्मेदवार छन् । 

एमालेबाट उम्मेदवार बनेकी भगवती न्यौपाने पूर्वमन्त्री एवं राष्ट्रिय सभाकी पूर्वसदस्य हुन् । उनी जेन–जी विद्रोहले ढलेको ओली सरकारमा संघीय मामिला तथा सामान्य प्रशासनमन्त्री थिइन् । २०७४ को निर्वाचनमा उनी भानु नगरपालिकाको मेयरमा पराजित भएकी थिइन् । न्यौपानेसँग अनेरास्ववियुको राष्ट्रिय परिषद् सदस्य, अनेम संघ तनहुँको दुई कार्यकाल अध्यक्ष र पार्टीको जिल्ला सचिव भएको अनुभव छ । उनी अहिले एमाले केन्द्रीय सदस्य छिन् । 

कांग्रेसका उम्मेदवार गोविन्द भट्टराई नेविसंघका पूर्वअध्यक्ष हुन् । उनी २०८० को उपनिर्वाचनमा रास्वपाका वाग्लेसँग पराजित भएका थिए । कांग्रेसको केन्द्रीय राजनीतिमा पहुँच राख्न सक्ने उनी बौद्धिक रूपमा अब्बल मानिन्छन् ।

नेकपाका उम्मेदवार विद्यानाथ ढकाल पूर्वएमाले नेता हुन् । पार्टी विभाजनपछि उनी एकीकृत समाजवादीमा गएका थिए । उनी २०७९ मा तनहुँ १(१) बाट प्रदेशसभा सदस्यको उम्मेदवार थिए तर चुनाव जित्न सकेनन् । स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवारी दिएका दीपकराज जोशी कांग्रेसका पुराना नेता गोविन्दराज जोशीका छोरा हुन् । दीपकराज २०७९ को निर्वाचनमा स्वतन्त्र रूपमै व्यास नगरपालिकाको मेयरमा उठेर पराजित भएका थिए । 

यस क्षेत्रमा नेकपा माओवादीबाट ओमविक्रम पन्त, श्रम संस्कृति पार्टीबाट काशीराम गुरुङ, आम जनता पार्टीबाट चिजा थापा अधिकारी, मंगोल नेसनल अर्गनाइजेसनबाट प्रेमबहादुर थापा, उज्यालो नेपाल पार्टीबाट मञ्जिल राना र नेपाल जनमुक्ति पार्टीबाट यामबहादुर आले उम्मेदवार छन् । नेपाल मजदुर किसान पार्टीबाट रामलक्ष्मी दुवाल, राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टीबाट रामदत्त जोशी, नेसनल रिपब्लिक नेपालबाट सुमन थापा मगरले उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । तनहुँ–१ मा जोशीसँगै सन्देश रानाभाट लौडारी र लेकनाथ खनाल स्वतन्त्र उम्मेदवार छन् ।

रुकुम पूर्वमा नेकपाका संयोजक एवं पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्री पुष्पकमल दाहाल र अन्य १२० दलका उम्मेदवार छन् । कांग्रेसबाट उम्मेदवार बनेकी कुसुमदेवी थापा २०७९ मा समानुपातिकतर्फबाट सांसद भएकी थिइन् । उनी कांग्रेसमा केन्द्रीय सदस्य छिन् । लामो समय पार्टीका विभिन्न संगठनमा रहेर काम गरेको अनुभव उनीसँग छ । 

एमालेबाट लीलामणि गौतम उम्मेदवार छन् । उनी एमाले रुकुम पूर्वका पूर्वजिल्ला अध्यक्षसमेत हुन् । उनी गत मंसिरको महाधिवेशनमा युवा ‘क्लस्टर’ बाट सर्वसम्मत केन्द्रीय सदस्य निर्वाचित भएका थिए । 

राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टीका उम्मेदवार लखनकुमार थापा होटल व्यवसायी हुन् । उनको सक्रिय राजनीति रास्वपाबाट सुरु भएको हो । उनी पार्टीका जिल्ला सभापति पनि हुन् ।

सशस्त्र द्वन्द्वका बेला बा–आमा गुमाएका सन्दीप पुनले प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टीबाट उम्मेदवारी दिएका छन् । उनी तत्कालीन माओवादीको विद्यार्थी संगठन अखिल क्रान्तिकारीको उपाध्यक्ष बनेका थिए । २८ वर्षीय पुन अहिले प्रलोपाका केन्द्रीय सदस्य छन् । 

यहाँ राप्रपाबाट रोषण शाह, राष्ट्रिय जनमोर्चाबाट चन्द्रप्रसाद शाही, मंगोल नेसनल अर्गनाइजेसनबाट ज्योति रोका मगर, नेसनल रिपब्लिक नेपालबाट धर्मकुमार बुढा उम्मेदवार छन् । यस्तै, जुद्धबहादुर बुढा मगरले नेकपा माओवादी र शिरबहादुर बुढाले जसपाबाट मनोनयन दर्ता गरेका छन् ।