By-election excitement grips Ilam constituency-2

ILAM: The anticipation among voters in Ilam constituency number 2 is palpable as they gear up to elect their representative to the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament.

Scheduled for the 27th of this month, the by-election follows the unfortunate passing of Subas Chandra Nembang on September 12, 2023, who previously held the HoR seat for this constituency.

A total of 20 candidates are vying for the position in the upcoming by-election.

Kuber Rai from Mahamai, Ilam Municipality-8, shares his excitement about the vibrancy surrounding the by-election in the constituency.

He expressed the community's eagerness to finally have a representative to address crucial issues such as determining tea prices, finding markets for dairy products, and improving the condition of the Mechi highway in the federal parliament after seven months of vacancy.

Bishal Dhakal from Sandakpur Rural Municipality-3 echoes Rai's sentiments, emphasizing the electorate's intention to vote for the most qualified candidate.

He highlights the multitude of problems and complaints faced by the community, expecting the elected representative to raise these issues in parliament for resolution.

Raghunath Bhandari from Phakphokthum Rural Municipality-4 emphasizes the importance of voting for a candidate capable of addressing key issues such as road conditions, healthcare, education, and agriculture.

He stresses the urgency for improvements in these areas to enhance the quality of life for constituents.

Arpana Paudel from Chulachuli Rural Municipality-1 emphasizes the importance of electing candidates with positive intentions and genuine commitment to the constituency's development, cautioning against blindly supporting candidates solely based on party affiliations or new political platforms.

The registered candidates include Suhang Nembang, the joint candidate of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre) alliance, Dambar Bahadur Khadka of Nepali Congress, Milan Limbu of Rastriya Swatantra Party, Prem Bahadur Limbu of Janamat Party, and Shyam Bahadur Darji of Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party, among others. Independent candidates Dak Prasad Gautam, Manoj Niraula, Arjun Kumar Shahi, Keshab Kumar Chapagain, Dipesh Bohora, Yogendra Gurung, Raj Basyal, and Dakendra Singh Thegim, representing Pahichanbadi (pro-identity group), have also filed nominations.

The Election Commission is set to publish the final list of candidates and allocate election symbols on April 9. The by-election will be conducted across 79 polling stations and 149 polling centers from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.