About a week ago, when Ranju Darshana was walking on the election campaign trail, voters welcomed her with hugs, some identified her as the Ranju she had voted for in 2074 BS. Someone kept saying, 'Why are you walking in such a situation? You should drink water and take care of yourself.'

There were many such mixed reactions from voters. Some expressed support, some asked questions, women respected her activism with pride, men sometimes asked critical questions. But hidden interest and support are visible in those questions and responses.

Voters' reactions show trust in her, along with a desire for change and an expectation that things will get better. Ranju says, 'There is a mixed reaction to the election campaign, which shows visible results.' She found a difference in the awareness and behavior of women and men during the election campaign. She said she received intimate support from women, critical interest from men.

She says, 'Who looks after the child?' Why did the pregnant woman walk? She kept getting asked repeatedly about her health, whether she had a caring family, a supportive structure, and an organization. She kept answering that motherhood is not an obstacle to leadership, but a strength that empowers leadership. '

She was 8 months pregnant when she went door-to-door as an election candidate. She continued to go door-to-door even until the last moment of giving birth.

It was not easy for her to take motherhood and leadership together, and it is not, but she believes that it will be possible if the family and state structure support her. Ranju is a direct candidate from the National Independent Party Kathmandu-1. After the Bibeksheel Sajha Party merged with the National Independent Party, she became a central member of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party. She has now been made a direct candidate from the same party. She tried to stay in the safe zone in proportional representation to advance motherhood. The National Independent Party had recommended her as the first number on the list of the proportional system as a Khas Arya woman. She also got the highest number of votes in the party's 'Women in Primary Election'.

She said that she chose proportional representation because the election and the time of giving birth coincided. Later, she decided to withdraw from proportional representation, saying that her name was placed lower in the name change. Thus, she was forced to contest directly. She says, 'First, proportional representation was chosen during the election, but when she came down in the list, the question of why proportional representation arose. After discussing with the leadership, we decided to contest directly.'

After giving birth to her son on February 12, her election campaign is being carried out on social media. She is in the election campaign with a new future. She says, 'I have traveled from the first day in the womb to the last day. After the birth of the child, he has become an independent citizen.' After becoming a citizen, he will ask the question, "What kind of society did you leave for me?" Ranju said that she is preparing to answer this question. She says that her aim is to create a leadership that can answer.

Ranju has seen a lot of pain and hope while being active in the social sector for 17 years. She says that she bears the responsibility of accountability to the coming generation. It was not and is not easy for her to carry motherhood and leadership together, but she believes that it will be possible if the family and the state structure support her. Her husband Kishore Kuinkel was her support during the election campaign. She says, "If you have the support of your family, you will have the courage and encouragement to move forward in any situation."

Political journey

She was just 21 years old when she ran for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in 2074 BS. She entered politics at a young age and became known as a true orator. She suddenly became known as a girl with a country-building agenda who questioned leaders. She said that she had gone from being a 'chilli beti' to a 'celebrity'. She would receive calls from all over the country for television interviews, and her social media was full of discussion.

At that time, Bibeksheel Nepal Party was her strong party organization. Bibeksheel, which emerged as an alternative political party, put forward Ranju as the mayoral candidate because of her personality. She says that her city-building agenda, clear speaker, and her popularity were strong bases. The party had also conducted a survey before electing her as mayor. In which the main problems of Kathmandu were dust, expensive transportation, and waste management. They had sought solutions among the voters themselves.

She said that a strategic plan was made for the solution in a political form and in a language that the common people could understand, and the solution agenda became the election agenda. The mayoral candidacy in the election gave her the opportunity to understand the importance of youth politics and women's leadership in society. Even though she could not turn the results in her favor, she remained steadfast in her role for the society.

She said that the election experience taught her leadership, strategy, and direct contact with voters. She said, 'While going to the election, I could have become a character in a comedy that could lose. I went to the election with all this preparation, but I got a respectable vote. While running for the Kathmandu mayor, we sought solutions to the people's problems in the language of the people.'

She would get encouragement wherever she went in the election campaign. That would present herself as energy and the hope and trust of the voters. The assurance of the voters was the basis for her victory, but Ranju could not win according to the craze. Becoming mayor was her sure dream. She says, ‘I went to bed confident that I would win on election day, but the results were not as she had expected.’ After the defeat, the challenge increased. Questions arose about leadership, policy and continuity – what would Ranju do now? But she did not choose to back down.

She was active in socio-political work even before filing her candidacy for mayor. Ranju, who joined the Bibeksheel campaign in 2070 BS, says she was inspired by the ideals and principles of Bibeksheel Nepal Party founder Ujjwal Thapa. She was active in various meetings and conferences. Whether it was against the corruption of former CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki or in support of Govinda KC, she used to raise her voice on the streets.

She has also performed street plays in various places in Nepalgunj. She says that she gave a message against the dowry system through street plays. Becoming a member of the party and direct contact with the leadership and the political journey of the mayor made it easier for her to understand the political scenario of Nepal. She says that dialogue with party workers, direct contact with voters, and experience with local problems have all helped her to give her a practical political vision.

Ranju, 29, is now very mature. Having completed her bachelor's degree in development studies from Kathmandu University and her master's degree in political science from Tribhuvan University, she is once again in the role of a candidate. Along with leadership, she has come to the responsibility of motherhood. She carries a different political ideology. She speaks thoughtfully and is moving forward in a political plan.

As she moves forward, she becomes nostalgic looking back. She remembers her time studying for her bachelor's degree at the young age of 21 and her political journey. She watches old videos, watches the words she spoke, looks back at her speech and presentation.

She feels that what she was at that age was right for that time. She says, ‘It is not a matter of regretting time, it is a process of learning. This journey taught me to understand politics, which made me experienced and very mature.’ 

Raising a single mother

Ranju, who dreamed of leading a political society, had an easy childhood. She was only five months pregnant when her mother left her. Her father was not ready to take responsibility for her. He never came back. Born in 2052 at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Ranju had her mother and maternal grandparents as her support.

She says, ‘If my grandmother had not supported me at that time, I could have miscarried or ended up in a children’s home. Growing up in the arms of my maternal grandparents, my maternal grandparents were my world.’ ' She never got the feeling of what a father was like, it hurt her heart when her friends talked about her father. She grew up considering her mother as her father and mother. She never learned to hate her father. Her mother never said anything negative either. This was not because she hated her father, but because she always had questions. She felt like, 'What was my fault?' The question always came to her. ' She also tried to contact her father. When she was in school, she found her father's phone number and called him, but she couldn't speak. She says that she hung up because it was the wrong number.

For her, family had a wide meaning. She counted about 20 members as a family, including her uncle, aunt, and sisters. Her mother used to sew and cut clothes to raise other people's children and avoid financial hardship. Her grandmother stood by them as a pillar. Grandma passed on a small house. Grandma thought that if she had a place to live, she could eat whatever she wanted.

While studying at Shanti Batika School, Ranju got the opportunity to understand not only books but also life. Activities like Book-Free Day taught her to think differently. Although being born in Kathmandu is a privilege, she has experienced that not everything comes easily.

She said, ‘Being born in Kathmandu can be an opportunity, but I have understood from my life that not everything is possible. The Book-Free Day that is coming now was implemented in our school from that time.’

Citizenship forced her to look for her father

Citizenship forced her to look for her father, whom she had never seen, in 2069 BS. Her mother did not give her citizenship by name. She, who had never felt her father’s love and affection, said that her father’s name was needed for citizenship. At that time, when she was unable to obtain citizenship, she realized the complexity of the state structure for the first time. The scene of the employee throwing away the file when she applied for citizenship in her mother's name still lingers in her mind.

She recalls that moment, saying, 'My mother used to take care of my school fees and expenses. My father's name was in school. Even when I had to look for my father to get citizenship, I felt that women were put in second place.'

She understood the social structure that if there was no man, the family would be insecure. The main reason for getting citizenship was to open a bank account. After completing SLC, when I worked in an IT company, a bank account was required to get a salary. Citizenship was mandatory for that. Due to this compulsion, she did not meet her father. That moment was emotionally difficult. She says, 'My mother was my truth, my father believed. I was forced to believe on the basis of what others said was your father.'

My father easily got my citizenship. My father had another family. Ranju had the idea that it should not be disrupted. She says, ‘I did not get love from Baba, but I never wanted to get close to him so that his other children would not be loved. Baba passed away two years ago, and I am grateful for that.’

A schoolboy student

She was a boyish girl in her school life. Short hair, different clothes, and a habit of playing with boys. She says that she never saw herself in terms of gender. She was active in the social sector right from school.

She started ‘Brahma Cottage Helping Hand’ to clean the toll plaza, collect money, and teach the children of laborers the alphabet. She believed that the children of laborers should be able to read. She taught some of them herself, recommended some, and reminded the parents of some to send their children to school.

उनले पढाएका ती विद्यार्थी उनको सम्पर्कमा छैनन्, तर उनले एउटा नाम भने सम्झिरहन्छिन् ‘रानी’ । उनले भनिन्, ‘रानी पढ्न जान्ने चासो राख्ने केटी थिई । उसका कुहेरे आँखा थिए । अब ती मेरा विद्यार्थीहरु ठुला भइसकेका छन् । उनीहरूले मैले पढाएको सम्झिन्छन् कि सम्झिदैनन् होला ।’

पाँच कक्षामा पढ्दा बाटो पिच नबनेको प्रश्नले उनलाई राजनीतिक चेतनातर्फ धकेल्यो । चुनाव आउँथ्यो, नेता आउँथे, तर बाटो बन्दैनथ्यो यही प्रश्नले उनलाई समाचार हेर्न, भाषण सुन्न प्रेरित गर्‍यो । उनले भनिन्, ‘बाटो नबनेर कति पटक लडियो हिँडियो, तर बाटो कहिल्यै सुध्रिएन यसको कारण राजनीतिसँग जोडिएको त्यस कारण राजनीति सुर्धानु पर्दछ भन्ने सोच त्यहीबेलादेखि नै पलाएको थियो । ’

२०६८ सालमा उनले एसएलसी दिइन् । एसएलसी सक्नसाथ टेलिमार्केटिङ उनको पहिलो जागिर थियो । प्लस टुमा आर्ट्स र ह्युमानिटिज पढ्दै गर्दा उनलाई फरक फरक विषयले तानिरहन्थ्यो । कहिले उनलाई खोजी पत्रकारिता रुचि लाग्थ्यो त कहिले कानुनप्रति चासो बढ्थ्यो । तर उनलाई देश सुधार्नु पर्दछ, बस्नलायक देश बनाउनु पर्दछ र नेपाल सधैँका लागि खुल्ला हुनुपर्दछ भन्ने धारणा विकास भयो ।

त्यहीबेला ‘विवेकशील नेपाली पार्टी’को ‘नेपाल खुल्ला छ’ अभियानसँगले उनलाई राजनीतिमा डोर्‍याएको हो । पार्टीले देश बन्दैन भन्ने नाराले उनलाई छोएको थियो । पार्टीको बाटोमा भेटिएको पर्चामा राजनीतिक भविष्य कोरेकी हुन् । उनले भनिन्, ‘विवेकशील नेपाल पार्टीको नेपाल खुल्ला छ भन्ने पर्चा बाटोमा भेटे त्यसपश्चात साथीलाई सोधे फेसबुकमा खोज्न थाले देश बनाउने पार्टी यही रहेछ भनेर उनीहरूको अभियानमा जोडिन पुगे ।’

पहिलो पटक नेपाल खुल्ला छ भनेर नेपालको झन्डा बोकेर हिँड्दा राष्ट्रप्रति गर्व महसुस भएको उनले अनुभव सुनाइन् । यही यात्रामा उनको भेट भयो उज्वल थापासँग जो पार्टीका संस्थापक थिए । घोषणापत्र पढेपछि उनलाई लाग्यो देश बनाउने टिम यही हो । त्यसपछि निरन्तर सक्रिय भइन् । २०७० सालदेखि नै विवेकशील नजिक भएर राजनीतिक अभियानमा जोडिएको थिइन् उनी । पार्टी फुटिरह्यो उनी राजनीतिलाई भने जोडिरहिन् । रञ्जुको पार्टी भित्रको रफ्तार एकै प्रकारको थिएन । पार्टी फुट्ने जुट्ने क्रम चलिरह्यो । २०७४ साउन ११ मा साझा पार्टी र विवेकशील नेपाली दलको मर्ज भएर विवेकशील साझा पार्टी बनेको थियो, तर २०७५ पुस २७ मा पार्टी विभाजित भएको थियो ।

२०७२ को भूकम्पमा उनी अग्रपंक्तिमा थिइन् । शिक्षण अस्पतालमा मृतकहरूको व्यवस्थापनदेखि राहत वितरणसम्म काम गरिन् । त्यो अनुभवले राज्यको तयारी कमजोर छ भन्ने देखायो । पार्टीले हटलाइन सेवा सुरु गरेको थियो । रातभर फोन उठाउने, सामग्री व्यवस्थापन गर्ने, स्वयंसेवक समन्वय गर्ने काममा उनी थकित भइन्, बिरामी परिन्, तर पछि हटिनन् ।

२०७५ मा विवेकशील पार्टी फुट्यो पार्टीका सदस्य एकाएक तितरबितर भए । कसैलाई पार्टीबाट निकालियो त कतिले आफैं राजीनामा दिएर निस्किए । रञ्जुले राजीनामा दिइन् । उनी भन्छिन्, ‘पार्टीमा एकाएक विचार भन्दा माथि देश आयो पार्टीको मूल्य सिद्धान्त नै हराएको थियो त्यस कारण मैले बस्न चाहिनँ । ’

२०७४ मा स्थानीय तहमा मेयरमा उठेकी उनी २०७९ मा प्रतिनिधिसभा प्रत्यक्षमा काठमाडौं-५ बाट उम्मेदवारी दिइन् । उनी कुनै पनि दलमा थिइनन् । उनले सेलरोटी चुनाव चिह्न लिएर चुनावी मैदानमा उत्रिएकी थिइन् । आफ्नो व्यवसायसँग जोडिएको सेलरोटी नै उनको चुनाव चिह्न थियो । चुनाव चिह्नबारे उनी भन्छिन्, ‘मेरो व्यवसाय सेलरोटीसँग जोडिएको हुनाले यही चुनाव चिह्न राखेको थिएँ । ’

२०७९ मा उनको नतिजा खस्कियो उनले जम्मा ६ सय मत मात्र ल्याइन् । उनको जमानत जफत नै भयो । २०७४ कोझैँ दर्शनाको क्रेज भने यो चुनावमा देखिएको थिएन । चुनावी अभियानबारे रञ्जु भन्छिन्, ‘मेरो उद्देश्य केवल चुनाव जित्नु थिएन, उत्तरदायी नेतृत्व सिर्जना गर्नु थियो, नेपाल निर्माण गर्ने अभियान सञ्चालन गर्नु थियो । ’