Candidates Converge in Biratnagar for National Assembly Elections in Koshi Province

Local level chiefs/chairs, deputy chiefs/vice-chairs, and provincial assembly members have converged in Biratnagar for the National Assembly elections scheduled for Sunday.

In Koshi Province, five candidates are contesting for three seats. Sunil Thapa of the Nepali Congress has already been elected unopposed in the 'others' category. Competition is ongoing among four candidates for the remaining two seats.

From the alliance of Congress, UML, and JSP, UML's Som Portel (Dalit) and Roshni Mechhe (Woman) are candidates. From the CPN, Khem Sundas (Dalit) and Namita Neupane (Woman) are contesting.

The nominated leaders have approached voters (provincial assembly members and local level chiefs/deputy chiefs) with their agendas. Although the vote weight of Congress, UML, and JSP combined exceeds two-thirds, making the victory of their candidates almost certain, the candidates from the Nepal Communist Party are challenging them.

The system mandates that one-third of the 59-member National Assembly members change every two years. Accordingly, 18 members will join the National Assembly through this election. Elections are being held for the seats becoming vacant as the term ends for Gopi Achhami of Maoist in the Dalit quota from Koshi, Devendra Dahal of UML in the 'others' group, and Indu Gautam in the woman quota.

Although there are 367 voters for the National Assembly in Koshi, 2 local level chiefs, 2 local level chairs, 1 local level deputy chief, and 1 provincial assembly member resigned to become candidates for the House of Representatives elections on Falgun 21.

Among them, Rastriya Prajatantra Party's provincial assembly member Bhakti Prasad Sitoula is a candidate for the House of Representatives election in Jhapa-4. Dilip Bagadia, the chief of Rangeli Municipality, is contesting from UML in Morang-2, while Asmita Thapa, the vice-chair of Likhu Rural Municipality, is a UML candidate in the Okhaldhunga constituency.

The CPN has nominated Ran Bahadur Rai of Suryodaya Municipality from Ilam-2 and Asim Rai from Solukhumbu. Similarly, Major Rai, the chairman of Limchongbung in Udayapur, is an independent candidate for Udayapur Constituency Number 1.

Following their resignations, 92 Provincial Assembly members remain in Koshi, along with 269 remaining chiefs, deputy chiefs, chairs, and vice-chairs of local levels. The vote weight of a Provincial Assembly member is 53.

The vote weight for local level representatives is 19. The total vote weight remaining for UML is 4,172, Congress 3,684, Maoist Centre 1,259, RPP 341, CPN (UML) 326, JSP 129, and independent candidates 57, considering both provincial and local levels.