Voting Underway in Karnali Province for National Assembly Elections

Surkhet. Elections are being held today in Karnali Province for the National Assembly, covering one seat for women and one for other clusters. Provincial Election Officer Lal Bahadur Gurung stated that voting commenced at 9 AM.

In the election for two seats in Karnali, an alliance has been formed between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, while the CPN (Maoist Centre) is contesting alone.

Under the alliance, the Nepali Congress has secured the 'other' cluster, and the CPN-UML has secured the women's cluster.

Lalit Jung Shahi is the candidate from the Nepali Congress. Shahi, who is also the President of the Nepali Congress Karnali Province Committee, was defeated in the Provincial Assembly elections of 079.

He was defeated by a margin of 1,800 votes from Jumla (A) by Devendra Bahadur Shahi, who contested as an independent after rebelling against the Congress. Shahi, who was elected as an independent, has now returned to the Congress party.

Similarly, Mina Singh Rakhal of the CPN-UML is the candidate for the women's cluster under the alliance. Rakhal, a resident of Dailekh, was a proportional representation member of the Karnali Provincial Assembly in 074.

On the other hand, the CPN (Maoist Centre) has nominated one leader from the former Maoist faction and one from the former Socialist faction.

For the 'other' cluster, Buddhiprasad Sharma from the former Maoist faction is the candidate, and for the women's cluster, Anju Mahatara (Shahi) from the former Socialist faction is the candidate. Anju is from Dolpa, and Sharma is from Rukum West. Sharma is a veteran Maoist leader.

The 'other' cluster where the election is taking place currently belongs to the former Maoist party. Maya Prasad Sharma of the Maoists was elected when it was the CPN (Unified). Similarly, the seat for the women's cluster belongs to the CPN-UML. Sumitra Bisi is the member from the UML.

CPN (Maoist Centre) Will Lose Both Seats Due to Alliance

The total number of voters for the National Assembly election in Karnali is 198. There are 40 members in the Provincial Assembly, and 158 are the heads and deputy heads of 79 local levels.

The vote weight for a Provincial Assembly member is 53, while the vote weight for the heads and deputy heads of local levels is 19. Accordingly, the total vote weight of the Provincial Assembly members is 2,120, and the total vote weight of the heads and deputy heads of local levels is 3,020. The total vote weight of voters from both levels is 5,120.

If the parties contested independently, there would be a tough competition between the Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre). However, with the CPN-UML-Congress alliance, the CPN (Maoist Centre) is set to lose both seats.

In the 40-member Provincial Assembly, Congress has 15, CPN (Maoist Centre) has 14, UML has 10, and RPP has 1 lawmaker. According to Daman Shahi, spokesperson for the Congress Provincial Committee, the number of local level heads and deputy heads from the Congress is 58.

In the 079 local level elections, Congress won 59 positions for heads and deputy heads. However, in the by-elections, they lost the positions of Deputy Mayor in Nalgad Municipality, Jajarkot, and Chairman in Mahabu Rural Municipality, Dailekh.

Nevertheless, with the return of Pyarilal Shahi, who was elected independently as Chairman of Chankheli, Humla, the total number of heads and deputy heads remains 58, according to him. With a vote weight of 795 from 15 Provincial Assembly members and 1,102 from the heads and deputy heads of local levels, the total vote weight for Congress is 1,897.

The total vote weight for the CPN-UML, comprising provincial (10) and local levels, is 1,214. In the 2079 local level elections, the CPN-UML won 35 head and deputy head positions, and in the 2081 local level by-elections, they won the chairmanship of Mahabu Rural Municipality.

The vote weight for the CPN (Maoist Centre) is 1,939. Here, the number of heads and deputy heads from the former Maoist party in the 2079 local level elections and the 2081 local level by-elections is 50.

Furthermore, there are 10 heads and deputy heads who won tickets from the CPN (Unified Socialist) in 2079, and including three who won independently and later rejoined the party, the total number of heads and deputy heads from the Socialist faction is 13. Now, with the merger of the two parties forming the CPN (Maoist Centre), the total number of local level voters is 63, and their vote weight is 1,197. Additionally, in the Provincial Assembly, the Maoist group has 14 members, including 13 from the former CPN (Maoist Centre) and 1 from the Unified Socialist Party. Their total vote weight is 742.

Adding both provincial and local levels, the total vote weight comes to 1,939. By this calculation, if the CPN (Maoist Centre) had contested independently, it could have secured both seats up for election. However, the combined vote weight of Congress and UML is automatically higher than that of the CPN (Maoist Centre).