The election atmosphere in Rautahat-2 is heating up with the race to preserve and destroy the legacy of the 'Alam family'. Firdos, son of late Congress leader Mohammad Aftab Alam, and Kiran Kumar Sah of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) are facing each other in this area. Firdos is under pressure to return the family legacy. Other parties are trying to destroy it.

Sah had defeated Firdos in the 2079 House of Representatives election. Sah broke the political 'dominance' of the Alam family from that election. Sah, who was an independent candidate at the time, has now chosen the NCP. This time, the National Independent Party (NISP) as a new force has also put pressure on the old parties competing here. The old parties are in a race to maintain the legacy. The new parties are trying to destroy the legacy.

Apart from Sah and Alam, Sheikh Sagir of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohammad Atiullah of the UML, Ram Ashish Rai Yadav of the JSP, and Surendra Prasad Jaiswal of the Progressive Democratic Party are competing. Of these, only Sah and Alam are old. For years, Rautahat-2 has been a political stronghold of the Alam family of Congress background. Earlier, Firdos' father Mohammad Aftab Alam had won elections from here repeatedly. Aftab passed away during treatment in 2009. After his father's death, Firdos is trying to maintain his political legacy. There is intense pressure on him to return the old legacy.

His grandfather Sheikh Idris won the election from the Praja Parishad in the 2015 elections. Idris is one of the old leaders of the Congress. After his death in 2054 BS, his nephew Mohammad Aftab took over the political legacy. Aftab, who started his parliamentary journey for the first time after winning the 2054 BS by-election, lost the election to his own nephew Mohammad Mushtaq Alam in the second Constituent Assembly election in 2070 BS. Many considered that to be a victory within the Alam family. In 2074 BS, Aftab reversed the election results.

After that, his political journey was not easy. Aftab was arrested in 2076 BS in the same case, 18 years after the famous Rajpur bomb blast. His MP post was also suspended. After he was sent to jail, the politics of Rautahat-2 also took a turn. He was sentenced to prison in that case and fell seriously ill while in Nakkhu Jail. He was admitted to the hospital immediately after the Birgunj High Court acquitted him on 24 Jestha 2082 and died during treatment. Keeping his supporters united in his father's absence is a challenge for Firdos.

Firdos is considered new and less experienced in politics compared to his father's 'commanding' personality. This time, he is playing the 'sympathy' card, which is often used in Nepali politics, and is telling other party candidates that he can play. He is now trying to attract votes by creating a conspiracy to frame his father. This time, the NCP, JSP, Progressive Democratic Party and UML have expanded their organizations in the area where the Alam family has a strong hold. The influence of other parties in this area has also increased due to the Gen-G movement and the craze of Balendra Shah.

The new and old parties are aggressive in destroying the 'bastion' of the Congress. In 2079, the presence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in this area was weak. At that time, the RSVP did not field a candidate. This time, the RSVP has increased its activity by fielding Sagir. The RSVP, which is raising the slogan of identity and change, has said that it has started a campaign to ensure victory in Rautahat-2. Sagir seems to be trying to make an impact among the youth and some neutral voters who are fed up with the politics of old parties and legacy. ‘I have made education, health and corruption control the main agenda,’ he said, ‘the people want change. That is why there is a change in leadership in the region.’

Traditionally, the region is considered to be dominated by the Congress and influential local leaders. Sagir’s main competition is with Firdos of the Congress and Kiran Kumar, who won as an independent candidate in 2079. The atmosphere has become somewhat serious and uncomfortable after a 4-year-old girl died when Sagir’s car hit her during campaigning on Magh 22. Although this gives the opposition a chance to criticize, Sagir and the party have expressed deep sorrow over the incident and have pledged to cooperate in the investigation. The extent of the RSVP wave in Madhesh is seen to be tested by the results of this region.

The main competition here is between Firdos and Kiran. The challenge for the RSVP is to snatch the vote bank of the old forces. The ethnic and regional agendas are strong in the district. Therefore, its impact will depend on how the RSVP adapts the slogans of good governance and corruption prevention to the local soil. The RSVP is currently working as an emerging alternative force rather than a decisive one in this region. Surendra Jaiswal, who came from a Maoist background, is competing from the Progressive Democratic Party. He is a proportional member of the then Maoist party. Since he has done a lot of development work in this region, he seems confident that the people will elect him this time. ‘The people have the ballot paper in their hands,’ he said, ‘this time we should not waste time.’

Congress leader Idris won the elections in this area in 015, 048, 051. In the by-election held after his death in 054 Jestha, his nephew Mohammad Aftab Alam won. Then Alam won the first Constituent Assembly election in 064. When a bomb exploded in Rajpur on the eve of the election. In the second Constituent Assembly member election in 070, Alam’s nephew Mohammad Mustaq defeated his uncle by a margin of 3,45 votes. Aftab won again in 074. In 079, independent candidate Kiran Kumar took over the Alam family legacy. Sah won by getting 32,842 votes. At that time, Firdous got 28,248 votes. Aftab's opponent in the 2074 elections was Sah. Firdos said that this time the main election agenda is education, health, agricultural modernization, irrigation expansion, rural roads, employment generation and overall development of the border areas. He said that for him, the election is not just a fight for one seat but a test to maintain the family's political legacy. He seems to be active in integrating old Congress workers to fill the political void created after his father's death. Alam, who left the medical profession and entered politics, has also made development and justice his agenda this time. He has the support of the sympathy vote and the party organization. This is a Muslim-majority area.

Alam pro- and anti-Alam faction

Rautahat-2 politics is still divided into 'Alam pro- and 'Alam anti-' factions. Despite Aftab's death, his influence remains. However, the emergence of new forces and faces in politics does not seem as easy as it was in the past. Most candidates have started asking the voters whether they want to do the politics of violence or development. Which can take neutral voters away from paradise. The death of

leader Aftab has dealt a blow to the Congress in this area. Politics in this area has been fluid and challenging. It is an area that has been the subject of violence and clashes in past elections. However, in the last election, security alertness and legal activism have created an environment where voters can confidently choose the candidate they like. It seems that the new generation of voters want good governance and development more than violent incidents and old legacies. Sheikh Rustam, a young man from Jingdwa village in Paroha Municipality-1, said that change is the need of the hour. ‘People want good governance and development, a corruption-free society,’ he said, ‘We will vote for those who fulfill these things.’ Otherwise, there is no point in elections.'' Political analyst Binda Sahni said that this time's election is not only seen as an opportunity to preserve the legacy but also to transform it according to the people's expectations. Rautahat-2 is still a backward area in terms of development. Local Mahesh Baitha said that there is a lack of roads, irrigation, quality schools, hospitals and employment. 'It is time for leaders to make this area not just a vote bank but a model area for development,' he said. 'This time's election should be a competition not only between individuals but also between development perspectives and a sense of political responsibility.''

Looking at past results, the margin of victory and defeat in this area has been small. In previous elections, the main competition has been between the Congress and the Left alliance. Rautahat-2 is home to municipalities such as Ishnath, Rajpur and Boudhimai. This time, voters have prioritized basic issues such as health, education and flood control. While Firdos is promising to make radical changes in the health sector because he is a doctor, the opposition is trying to surround him by raising the issue of 'dynasty'.

For the Congress, it is a golden opportunity to avenge the previous defeat and strengthen its political journey, while for Sah, it is also a challenge to protect his reputation. Kiran, who was involved in politics for a long time with the Maoists, has now joined the CPN (UML) from an independent candidate through the Madhesh Party. This time, there are 26 candidates in Rautahat-2. 12 of them are independent. Since there is a strong possibility of vote splitting, even a small difference in votes can affect the result.

The voters in this area are divided into two groups. Some want to continue the old party and familiar faces to preserve the legacy, while others want to end corruption by giving a new party and new faces an opportunity for change.

UML's Mohammad Atiullah is also a leftist leader. He entered politics after retiring from a government job. Based on past vote results, he is also in strong competition. Ram Ashish Rai of JSP is also in the election competition. Earlier, he was the vice-chairman of the District Coordination Committee.

There has been a competition between the Congress and the left parties in Rautahat-2. The leftists have been in competition with the Alam family since 2048. Leftist leaders Bishnu Bahadur Manandhar, Shailendra Sah, Abdul Kalam Azad and Kiran Kumar Sah had tried to destroy the legacy of the Alam family.