Nepali Congress Fields 11 Women Candidates in Direct Elections for House of Representatives

Kathmandu. The Nepali Congress has nominated 11 women candidates for the direct elections of the House of Representatives taking place on Fagun 21. Party President Gagan Thapa has nominated six women who were active in central party politics and five women who were active in local level politics.

The Congress has nominated Mandira Chimariya Poudel in Jhapa-5, Sarita Prasai in Jhapa-2, Kiran Yadav in Mahottari-2, Chandrakala Kumari Yadav in Siraha-4, Sushila Thing in Sindhuli-2, Mahalakshmi Upadhyay 'Dina' in Makwanpur-1, Sapana Rajbhandari in Kathmandu-8, Nanu Bastola in Kathmandu-9, Minakumari Kharel in Chitwan-2, Kusumdevi Thapa Magar in Rukum East, and Wasana Thapa in Dailekh-1.

Among those nominated are former Joint General Secretary Mahalakshmi Upadhyay 'Dina', and those who worked in the party's central committee: Sarita Prasai, Sushila Thing, Kiran Yadav, Sapana Rajbhandari, and Nanu Bastola. Prasai, Yadav, Thing, Upadhyay, Rajbhandari, and Thapa Magar are also former members of parliament.

In the dissolved House of Representatives, Thing served as the Congress Chief Whip, and Thapa Magar was the Chairperson of the House's Agriculture Committee.

The Congress's women candidates will face off against two former Prime Ministers, three party chairpersons, the former Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and leaders who have served as ministers multiple times.

Congress's women candidates are contending against CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane.

Chimariya is contesting against Oli, Thapa Magar against Prachanda, and Kharel against Lamichhane. Furthermore, Prasai will compete against former Speaker Devraj Ghimire and former Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar.

Congress candidate Chimariya is pitted against Balen Shah, the Rastriya Swatantra Party's candidate for Prime Minister. Congress's women candidates are also facing off against 'VIPs' including Sharad Singh Bhandari, who has served as a minister the most times, and Dol Prasad Aryal, a former acting chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.

No Consistent Rival for Mahalakshmi Upadhyay in Her Constituency

Former Central Joint General Secretary Upadhyay is a candidate from Makwanpur Constituency No.-1. Contesting the elections from Makwanpur for the fifth time, she was defeated by Deepak Bahadur Singh of the RPP in the 2079 House of Representatives election in the same constituency. Upadhyay was previously a direct candidate from Makwanpur in 2048, 2051, 2074, and 2079.

From 2048 to 2074, she contested from Makwanpur Constituency No.-2, where she was defeated by the CPN-UML candidate, Birodh Khativada. In 2079, she changed her constituency to Makwanpur-1 and was defeated by Deepak Singh of the RPP.

Upadhyay, who has been active in Makwanpur politics for a long time, is attempting to secure a win this time, setting aside her four previous defeats.

In Makwanpur-1, often considered a 'Red Fort' of the communists, Congress has won only once. Congress Bagmati Provincial Assembly Chairman Indra Bahadur Baniya won from this constituency in 2070 BS. Although Congress has a strong organization in this area, candidates have been defeated due to internal conflicts.

'Yesterday, internal affairs were not properly addressed. The arithmetic of the alliance also made us somewhat overconfident. Not trusting our own side proved to be a weakness. I had announced I would not contest the elections, but the situation is different now. There was a demand from the cadres. I filed my candidacy because there was a demand for Congress to contest independently and for voters to be able to vote for the 'Rukh' (Congress symbol),' Upadhyay said.

She clarified that Congress is moving forward by resolving disputes in a new way at the central level and realizing its weaknesses at the district level, ensuring a balanced approach to achieve victory in the elections with restraint.

Maha Laxmi, elected Joint General Secretary in the 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress, was a proportional representative in the Constituent Assembly in 2064 and 2070 BS. She also served as the former State Minister for Water Resources.

She is competing against Rameshwar Rana Magar from CPN-UML, Bijay Gautam from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Prakash Gautam from Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Sarita Prasai to Face Former Speaker and Deputy Speaker

Prasai, a candidate from Jhapa Constituency No. 2, has previously served two terms in the House of Representatives and one term in the National Assembly. She was a member of the House of Representatives under the proportional representation system in 2070 and 2079 BS. When she was a proportional MP in the House of Representatives in 2070 BS, she also served as the Minister of State for Agriculture.

Prasai served one term after being elected to the National Assembly in 2074 BS. She also served as the party's Chief Whip in the National Assembly.

Prasai is competing against former Speaker Devraj Ghimire from CPN-UML, former Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar from Rastriya Swatantra Party, and former Minister Dharmashila Chapagai from CPN (Maoist Centre).

Mandira Chimariya Poudel to Contest Against Candidates of Two Former Prime Ministers

Congress has nominated Mandira as its direct candidate from Jhapa-5. This is her first time contesting for the House of Representatives membership. She is competing against former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from CPN-UML, young leader Ranjit Tamang from CPN (Maoist Centre), and former Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Balen (Balen) Shah, from Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Kiran Yadav to Compete Against Leader Who Has Been Minister Most Times

Yadav has been nominated by Congress as the direct candidate from Mahottari-2. She has been elected as a member of the House of Representatives once through direct elections. In the second Constituent Assembly elections held in 2070 BS, Yadav was elected from Mahottari-2. She was also a Member of Parliament through the proportional representation system in 2064 BS.

Yadav is the niece of the first President, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav. She is also a former Central Member of Congress. Her current competitors include Kadip Nadap from CPN-UML, Laxman Kumar Yadav from CPN (Maoist Centre), Dipakkumar Sah from Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Sharad Singh Bhandari from JSP Nepal. Bhandari is among the leaders who have been ministers the most times.

Chandrakala Kumari to Face Three Former Ministers

Congress has nominated Chandrakala Kumari Yadav as the direct candidate from Siraha-4. This is her first time contesting for the post of House of Representatives member. Her competitors include Dharmendra Prasad Sah from CPN-UML, Ayashankar Nayak from CPN (Maoist Centre), Tapeshwar Yadav from Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Rajkishor Yadav from JSP Nepal. Among the competitors, Sah, Nayak, and Yadav are former ministers and have been elected as MPs through direct elections multiple times.

Sushila Thing

Congress has nominated Sushila Thing as the direct candidate from Sindhuli-2. This is her first time contesting direct elections for the House of Representatives. She was a Member of the House of Representatives under the proportional representation system in the dissolved house. Congress had also given her the responsibility of Chief Whip. Thinging is competing in the same constituency against Manoj Jung Thapa from CPN-UML, Lekhnath Dahal from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Ashish Gajurel from Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Sapana Rajbhandari to Face Former Minister

Congress has nominated Sapana Rajbhandari as the candidate from Kathmandu-8. Having entered the House of Representatives through the proportional representation system in 2079 BS, this is Rajbhandari's first time contesting direct elections. She is the wife of the late Nepali Congress leader and former minister, Nabindra Raj Joshi. After Joshi's demise, Rajbhandari became actively involved in politics.

She is competing against Rajesh Shakya from CPN-UML, Suman Sayami from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Birajbhakt Shrestha from Rastriya Swatantra Party. Shrestha was previously elected from that constituency, served as the Deputy Leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party's parliamentary party, and was also the Minister of Sports.

Nanu Bastola to Face Former Acting Chairman of RSP

Congress has nominated party central member Nanu Bastola as the candidate from Kathmandu-9. This is her first time contesting to enter the House of Representatives.

She is competing against Ajaykranti Shakya from CPN-UML, Radhakrishna from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Dol Prasad Aryal from Rastriya Swatantra Party. Shakya is a former ambassador, while Aryal has served as the acting chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party for a long time. Aryal was previously a member of the House of Representatives through proportional representation.

Minakumari Kharel to Face RSP Chairman

Congress has nominated Minakumari Kharel in Chitwan-2. This is her first time contesting to enter the House of Representatives. In her first attempt, she is facing a 'heavyweight' opponent. She is competing against Rabi Lamichhane, the Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and former Deputy Prime Minister.

In that constituency, she is competing against Rabi Lamichhane, Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Asmin Ghimire of CPN-UML, and Pratap Gurung of CPN (Maoist Centre). Lamichhane won by a large margin in the previous election from this constituency.

Kusumdevi Thapa Magar to Face Prachanda

Congress has nominated Kusumdevi Thapa Magar for the direct election in Rukum East. Having served as an MP through the proportional representation system in 2079 BS and as the Chairperson of the House's Agriculture Committee, this time she is contesting the direct election against CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

Leelamani Gautam from CPN-UML and Lakhan Thapa from Rastriya Swatantra Party are competing in that constituency. In the last election, Purnabahadur Gharti of the Maoists won from this constituency.

Wasana Thapa to Face Former MP

Congress has nominated Wasana Thapa for the direct election in Dailekh-1. She is contesting to enter the House of Representatives for the first time.

She is competing against Rabindra Raj Sharma from CPN-UML, Amba Bahadur Thapa from CPN (Maoist Centre), and Nandakishore Basnet from Rastriya Swatantra Party. Thapa is a former MP. Thapa had won the direct election from this constituency in the previous election.