NC decides to contest independently in Biratnagar in upcoming local polls

KATHMANDU, April 8: At the time when the ruling alliance has decided to forge an electoral alliance in the upcoming local level election, the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to contest for the post of mayor in Biratnagar Metropolitan City independently.

The party has maintained that it doesn’t require any sort of alliance in the metropolist to win the election.

“There will be no alliance in all the 19 wards of the metropolis,” said Deepak Chapagain, Metropolis President of the party.

According to Chapagain, names of candidates for wards and metropolis have already been finalized.

In the local level election held in 2074 BS, NC had won in eight wards in the Biratnagar Metropolis. Besides, the Federal Socialist Forum had won in 6 wards, CPN-UML in three and CPN (Maoist Center) in one ward.

Bhim Parajuli was elected in the post of Mayor of the metropolis representing NC, garnering a total of 23,031 votes. His nearest contender was Binod Dhakal, a common candidate of CPN-UML and Forum Loktantrik.

In comparison to the last election, 19,381 voters have been added in the metropolis this time. As per the latest data of the Election Commission (EC), there are as many as 133,142 voters in Biratnagar.

With NC’s decision to avoid electoral alliance in Biratnagar, CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and CPN (Unified Socialist) are likely to forge an electoral alliance. Likewise, an electoral alliance between CPN-UML and JSP is also likely. Also, there is a buzz of alliance between UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party in the metropolis.