There are 3 days left for the House of Representatives elections to be held on 21 Falgun. The election atmosphere is heating up across the country. Candidates from Kathmandu Constituency No. 5 are currently busy door-to-door canvassing for votes.

In every chowk, park, alley, and wherever there is a crowd of voters, candidates are seen soliciting votes in various ways.

What kind of candidates do voters in Constituency No. 5 want? What did the candidates promise to do for the constituency during the door-to-door program? What kind of development do voters want in the country? How excited are they as the elections approach? What problems are there in their constituency? Kantipur has spoken to some representative figures.

Voters say that the candidates have not only promised to present their views in the House but also promised to be keen on developing the city.

Bhola Prasad Chaudhary, a resident of Banyantar, Tokha-3, is a voter of constituency number-5. He says he is excited when the elections come. Chaudhary, who says he has voted 3 times so far, wants the candidate elected from his constituency to understand and be able to clearly express his views for the country. He says, ‘You should understand what politics is. Will the candidate come there and do some development? But I think there should be a candidate who can raise his voice about every problem in the country.’ He says that he is surprised when a candidate comes to his constituency and says that he will do this or that after winning. He says, ‘The winning candidates are the ones who make laws and raise the problems of the country in the parliament,’ he said, ‘But they tell us to do this and that. We voters cannot pretend that we do not understand anything.’

Chaudhary works as a plumber. So far, he says that he has been voting based on ideas rather than party. He says, ‘I don’t think I trust this party . I am thinking of voting only after listening to their opinions and reading the agenda before deciding who to vote for.’ Bhola wants whichever party wins to be a lover of development and a complete understanding of politics . 

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Batula Pathak, who lives in Saibaba Chowk, Tokha-3, is 52 years old . Pathak seemed very busy in her grocery shop . She said that she has been doing business for 10 years . Batula is a voter of constituency number-5 . She said that the atmosphere of the election is very encouraging . Pathak says that the current election has raised many hopes . 

Pathak said that the candidates promised to make constituency number-5 well-equipped in the door-to-door program . She says, ‘The candidates had to fulfill the promises they made after winning. They had to make good arrangements for roads, drinking water, and insurance facilities. They have said that they will do this. Let’s see, this is what we want.’ When asked what a candidate should be like? Pathak said, ‘He should be educated. A candidate who can understand the wishes and desires of the youth and develop the country is needed at this time,’ she said, ‘Self-respect, listening to the people, understanding them, being able to solve problems, and making laws are the main qualities that a candidate should have.’ Pathak said that no matter which party wins, an environment where people can live is necessary in the country. She said, ‘Our children should not have to go to foreign countries for a bright future, but should get opportunities in their own country.’

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Let more voters create jobs in their own country. They want the youth not to be forced to migrate.

Rupa Gurung, who was found working on the farm near her house, is also a voter from constituency number 5. She is 45 years old. Gurung said that candidates have come to her constituency to seek votes.

‘Every day when we go to the park for exercise in the morning, candidates from different parties come to us asking for votes. In the afternoon, candidates from different parties also come to our house to seek votes,’ she said, ‘Everyone, old and new, shows hope that we will do this and that.’

Rupa wants peace to prevail in the country, no matter which party wins. One of Rupa’s hopes is that an environment for doing something in the country should be created. She says, ‘My husband migrated after we got married to support his family. He is still suffering in another country.’ No one likes to leave their family and country and suffer in another country,' she said, 'In Nepal, there is a compulsion to go abroad without getting the job they wanted. Now my children should see their future in the country. They should not have to go to another country to study and fulfill their dreams.' When asked what problems do you think are there in your area, Rupa thought about what problems there are in her area. And she said, 'Earlier, there was a dirt road, but now the road is paved. Water and garbage trucks also come on time. There is nothing to say that there is a big problem.' Rupa, who said that she has a second vote, wants the government to pay close attention to education, health, and employment and make good arrangements.

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Similarly, Sabitri, who hails from Dhapasi, is a voter of Baral Constituency No. 5. She also said that she is excited about the elections. Baral also wants an environment where her grandchildren can work in their own country, regardless of which party wins with a majority. She says, ‘We are getting old. Now our grandchildren can work in the country and live happily with their families. Parents, Nepalese children should not have to live abroad like that.’ Baral says that she feels very sad when the new generation leaves the country. Baral also wants peace in the country. She wants an environment where the youth can work in the country.

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Mina Dangol, who lives in Tokhagate, also runs a business. Mina, 45, said that she runs a grocery store and grinds spices in her own house. She said that the candidates have come to ask for votes. She says, ‘I feel that more candidates are standing now than in the previous elections. We call this party and different candidates come every day.’ She also wants the youth to be able to do something in the country. She says, ‘I have only one child. I had planned to go abroad to study as soon as I finish my Plus Two. We stopped after completing my Bachelor’s. It hurts to see the wave of youth going abroad. I want the country to develop and Nepal to have the jobs they want.’

Dangol said that development means creating a situation where the youth of today can live in Nepal. ‘Tokha is full of religious and cultural things. Whoever wins, it should be made systematic,' she says, 'The knife industries in Tokha should also be run in a systematic manner and made available for international sale.'

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Some voters say that peace in the country is the main development of their region and the country.

It was 7 pm. Jhamkanath Baral, who lives in Greenland, Kathmandu, was found at Greenland Chowk while going home to buy vegetables. Baral, who said that he is a voter of Constituency No. 5, said that candidates from different parties have already been going door to door as the election approaches. He said, 'It may be as the election approaches. Candidates from different parties are coming to seek votes every day.'

Baral said that there is no particular problem in his region. He said, 'There is no such thing as a big problem in this region. It is the municipality's job to solve the problem. It is not a matter of the candidate coming and doing it.'

Baral says that it should not be limited to his own constituency. 'Such candidates should come who understand the policies and rules. They should come with determination, not just by saying that they will develop the country. It is not just by showing assurances that I will do something if I win from here,' he said.

Baral feels that there is not as much development as there should have been. 'It is not that development has not been happening in the country before, but there is not as much as there should have been,' he said. 'No matter who comes, the situation in the country should not deteriorate. There should be peace in the country. There should be stability. That is what we all want. Development is something that will happen automatically after peace and order.'

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There is also a lot of enthusiasm among the youth here regarding the election.

One of them is Sushil Karki, 26, from Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. Sushil says he is very excited as the elections approach. He says, ‘I am voting for the first time. I am very happy.’ Sushil thinks that there is a lot of competition between candidates in his area. Karki says that there are more small problems in his area than big problems, but they need to be solved.

says, ‘Even though it is the capital, I don’t think Kathmandu has the same problems as other places,’ he said, ‘But it seems that temple management, waste management, digging roads for pipelines and light wires on the side of the road, they are left without completing the work. Accidents have occurred because there are so many potholes. Such problems also have to be solved.’ Sushil says that even though he is not interested in politics, he is curious about who will win now, what will happen to the country now? He said that his wish is that no matter which party wins, there will be development. He says, ‘Young people like us should be able to see their future in our own country. "Youth should not see their future in another country. Let there be an environment where they can do jobs and do business in their own country," he said. "No matter what government is formed, youth should be able to dream in their own country." No youth should be forced to dream of earning money and raising a family in another country.

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Shikha Tamang, another voter from this area, says that there is a different kind of excitement after the election. She says, "Just like festivals are fun. Similarly, there is a fun atmosphere when elections are called," she said. "Candidates who never return come to the toll booths to ask for votes. I hope that so-and-so would have done better after winning." Shikha said that the election atmosphere has changed a lot between before and now. She says, "In the old elections, it was limited to speeches and door-to-door campaigns." Now, we are getting calls from various parties asking us to vote for us.’

She says that even if the government is formed, taxes should be reduced. She says, ‘Expenditure is more than income.’ She says that she does not see any other major problems in her area and says that she gets very angry when there is a weakness in waste management. She says, ‘When garbage trucks do not come, people pile up garbage all over the road.’ This too must be solved,’ she said, ‘I know that this is a local issue, but no matter how much I say it, it will not happen. I think the candidates should raise their voices in this too.’ Shikha also said that there will be tough competition between the candidates in her area.’

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Similarly, 32-year-old Sabina Dangol, who lives near Tokha Gate, is running her own beauty parlor. She says she doesn't know much about politics. She tells us that she watches news about the election on TikTok and Facebook.

She wants the price to come down no matter which party forms the government. She says, 'No matter what goods are affected by price increases. It's not the winning candidate who has to remove price increases, but the government that is formed has to do it.'

She said that there are no major problems in her area, but one problem causes a lot of tension before going anywhere. She says, 'Whether this is the job of the winning candidate or not. I don't know, but when I walk somewhere, I don't get a microbus from Tokha at the specified time,' she said, 'Even if the microbus comes after waiting for a long time, I have to stand and walk. I never get a seat.' Transportation should be organized. This is an issue that needs to be resolved.'

There are 25 candidates from various parties and independent candidates in Kathmandu-5. Among them are Pradeep Poudel from the Nepali Congress. Similarly, Ishwor Pokharel from the CPN-UML. Sasmit Pokharel is a candidate from the National Independent Party, and Nisha Adhikari from the Dynamic Party. Similarly, Shriram Gurung from the Ujjaya Nepal Party, Kalpana Sharma from the Nepal Communist Party, Kamal Thapa from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Danindra Joshi from the Janata Samajwadi Party and other candidates have come forward.

Pradeep Poudel of the Nepali Congress won from this constituency in the last election. Voters say that there is a possibility of a big competition among the candidates in this constituency now.

Kathmandu-5 has 4 wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, including 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as 5 wards of Budhanilkantha Municipality, including 3,4,5,6,and 7 Similarly, there are 6 wards of Tokha Municipality, which are 2,3,4,5,6 and  7, making a total of 15 wards