Voters in Dhanusha Rural Areas Remain Apathetic as House of Representatives Election Date Nears

Janakpurdham. Although the date for the House of Representatives election on Falgun 21 is approaching, there is little hustle and bustle visible in the villages of Dhanusha district. Voters in rural areas say they are too busy with their daily routines for livelihood to pay attention to politics.

Many voters were found not even to know the date of the election. Especially voters in the rural areas under Constituency No. 3 of Dhanusha are busy with their daily routines, saying, 'Elections come and go, but we cannot eat without working.'

Dhaniram of Nagrain Municipality, Bahuarwa, says that elections do not touch citizens like him. 'What is the use of just voting? The person who wins from our vote becomes a Member of Parliament or a Minister, but they never look back at us. We cannot eat without working in these fields,' he said, 'How many votes have been cast, but where is the development? We are in the same condition as before.'

Dhaniram stated that he heard the election would be held on Falgun 21, but its impact is not visible in the villages. He mentioned that discussions, village agendas, and deciding whom to vote for, as in the past, have not taken place yet.

'We have voted in elections from ward to municipality, provincial assembly, and house of representatives,' he said, 'No matter whom we elect, no one has worked to reduce our troubles and problems. No one cares after winning. Unemployment and poverty have not decreased.'

Kari Yadav of Janakpurdham Metropolitan City, Rupaita, said that he heard there would be an election but was not clearly aware of when it would be held. He, who operates a poultry and fish farming farm, said he does not have much knowledge about political matters and that showing interest in them yields no results.

Yadav told Ratopati, 'I heard whether the election is in Magh or Falgun, but I don't know exactly when it will be.'

He stated that although candidates coming in every election give various assurances regarding development, there has been no improvement in the living standards of the people. 'The road built before is the same, and it is also damaged. The concrete has cracked, the drains are not systematic,' he said in anger, 'Who will repair it? We are somehow running a small farm. Forget about subsidies, which leader haven't we asked to arrange a loan for? No one listens to us.'

Yadav said that his trust in the old parties has been broken. He said, 'They only remember the people when they come asking for votes.'

Saida Khatun, 55, of Janakpurdham Metropolitan City-23, Bindhi, also expressed dissatisfaction with the parties. 'If there has been development, it is the leader's development, not the people's,' she said, 'Leaders have built big houses for themselves. They send their children to study abroad. Our development means working hard in the fields, not earning according to the effort, that's the development of the people.'

Khatun shared that she raised a family of four daughters and one son solely by working with a spade and trowel. 'We sold the field to marry off a daughter. We sent our son abroad after educating him a little, but the agent cheated him. The son who went abroad to earn returned empty-handed, and the loan is still due,' she said, 'We asked many leaders for help, but no one did anything. If there were employment opportunities in the country, why would we send them abroad? They talk big in election speeches, mention free visas, but even after taking a loan to send our son abroad, he had to return cheated.'

She stated that they are not interested in when the election takes place.

Mithileshram of Mithila Municipality, Tarapatti, says he is facing severe problems in making a living due to the lack of employment opportunities. He, who works playing band music, says that the limited money earned during the season is not enough to sustain life.

'The work of playing the band is not always available; it only happens during the wedding and Bratabandha seasons,' he said, 'If we try other work, there is nothing. We are like unemployed. We don't have money to go abroad.'

He expressed dissatisfaction that the government has neither provided jobs for the youth nor assisted them in going abroad. He mentioned hearing that the situation has changed somewhat after the 'Gen-Z' movement in the country, but he has not felt the impact.

Informing that he heard the smart people in the village saying that something might happen after the election, he said, 'We might have to vote after consulting and accordingly.'

Mithileshram stated that he was unaware of who the candidates were from his constituency. However, he made it clear that he had already chosen the election symbol he would vote for.

Santosh Chaudhary from Dhanusha-3 says that voters also need to rise above traditional thinking in this election. Asserting that the country's development has stalled due to malpractice and corruption, he said that those who have been tested repeatedly but failed to work for the country and the people should not be given another chance.

Chaudhary mentioned that many youths from districts like Dhanusha and Mahottari have gone abroad for foreign employment. 'Every day, someone's dead body arrives from abroad,' he said, 'Who brought the country to this state? On what basis should we vote for them now?'

Chaudhary stated that no one would desire to go abroad if employment opportunities existed in the country. 'I have also returned from abroad. I took land on rent and farmed, but the crop failed due to unseasonal rain. Fertilizer did not arrive on time. I had farmed by taking a loan, but there is no return commensurate with the effort,' he said, 'Leaders have ruined the country.'

He mentioned that he is preparing to question the candidates who come asking for votes in this election about all these problems, rather than just greeting them with a 'Namaskar'.